Draco Malfoy in Gryffindor
by Hailey1986
Summary: What would have happened if Draco Malfoy ended up in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. Just one chapter left.
1. Different events and introduction

Mothers voice woke me from my dream about the boarding school I was going to go to that year. I didn't want to show my excitement in front of my parents, least of all my father but it was hard. I was finally going to learn magic. I imagined some of the new curses I would learn to use on Crabbe and Goyle, my best friends . . . well I guess I wouldn't call them my best friends even though I did grow up with them but that wasn't my choice. 

I am way ahead of myself though. My name is Draco Malfoy I am eleven years old. I have very blond hair and grey eyes. (Very good looking too if I must say so myself.) I am a wizard and I am about to start my first year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A wizard? You are asking yourself, if so you are obviously a muggle (people who have no magic in their blood what-so-ever like yourself) and I really don't think you should be reading this. Looks like you aren't going to listen though, whatever. Anyway as I was saying I was starting school where I could learn new spells and meet new people. Hopefully get rid of Crabbe and Goyle. Those aren't their real names in case you are wondering their actual names are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, but Crabbe and Goyle suit them. I don't think they would notice though, those two are very stupid it isn't even funny. 

So as I woke up that morning I could feel the excitement growing, I mean wouldn't you be? I was actually smiling and that's something for me since I wake up grouchy. Today we were going to Diagon Alley to buy me my new school supplies. I had received my letter from Hogwarts a couple days ago and now finally I could get my things. Once my mother had seen I was awake she left the room so that I could get ready to go. 

Once in Diagon Alley my parents dropped me off at "Madame Malkins Robes and Gowns" while they went and got my other supplies. I climbed on a stool and admired myself in the mirror. 

"Another young man is getting sized up right now." a voice said. 

I turned as a very small and extremely skinny boy came in. He climbed up on the stool beside me. He looked strangely familiar and I couldn't figure out how. [If you want the conversation check book.] 

As I met up with my parents later I couldn't stop thinking about that boy. Where had I seen him before? He couldn't have been friends with my family if he hangs out with someone like Hagrid anyway. So where had I seen him? The boy seemed very clueless about the wizarding world that anyone would think he is a muggle born, well maybe he is like Crabbe and Goyle... too stupid to notice anything around them. 

The next Morning at breakfast an Owl came flying in and almost knocked the house elf over. (Did I mention my family is rich? No? Well we are, we live in a huge manor. Jealous? I bet you are.) I took the letter from the owls (Wizard post comes from owls by the way.) And noticed that it was from another wizarding school called Durmstrang. 

_Dear Mr. Malfoy. _

We have received your request to join Durmstrang and we are pleased to say that we have a place for you. Term starts September 1st. Send an owl if you are not coming. Professor McDougall Deputy Headmistress. 

What? I never requested to join Durmstrang. I thought it was already decided I was going to Hogwarts. I mean we already bought my school supplies and everything. I looked up at father who was smiling. 

"Were you accepted?" He asked. 

"Yes father, but I never . . . wait a minute you requested me to join?" 

"What!?" Mother yelled. "We decided he was going to Hogwarts did we not!?" 

"I know dear, but Durmstrang has a better reputation . . . well for certain things and I think Draco would do really well. Besides, I am friends with the headmaster there where as Hogwarts . . . " 

"Durmstrang is too far away. I want Draco to be close by. Hogwarts is also one of the best schools, and we want the best for our Draky." 

I cringed at the baby name. Mother had been calling me Draky all my life and . . . well it's stupid and embarrassing and I wish she would stop. 

"Well it is only for Draco to decide." My father said in a stiff voice. "Where do you want to go?" 

"I-I want to go to Hogwarts sir." I answered. 

Father nodded. Clearly he was disappointed and I felt bad to disappoint him. (I hate disappointing my parents. Who doesn't?) But really Durmstrang? That is a dark arts school and I'd rather not even start with what I think about dark arts. Even though I have been taught to like them I don't. Father stood up mumbling about sending a letter to Durmstrang and mother looked pleased with herself. 

On September first I was boarding the Hogwarts express with Crabbe and Goyle. I was waving to my mother as the train lect then I went and found a compartment. My loyal followers of course followed me. 

"So what do you suppose the Slytherin house looks like?" I asked. They of course shrugged, you can never have an intelligent conversation with those two. I guess you are wondering what Slytherin is. At Hogwarts there are four different house: Slytherin, (The one I had to get into and knew I would because all Malfoys end up in Slytherin.) Ravenclaw (The intelligent browner types.) Hufflepuff, (Loyal fuddie duddies not good enough for much.) And Gryffindor. (Supposedly the brave go here but I know better. Gryffindors are those types of people who are way to trusting.) Slytherin house has the worst reputation just because some witches and wizards go bad. It has nothing to do with the house it has to do with the parents. Duh, I mean anyone from the other three houses could go bad too. You end up Slytherin for certain traits not if you are evil. Not even the intelligent Ravenclaws realize that though. Although I have been raised to be a dark wizard it doesn't mean I will be, Crabbe and Goyle though... well you can guarantee they will be bad, they are too stupid to have a mind of their own and they will take after their parents. 

I was lost in my thoughts when Pansy Parkinson came running into our compartment. She's another one I grew up with, she is a bit annoying but I like her. She is like me and doesn't want anything to do with dark arts rubbish. 

"You guys will never believe this!" She squealed. 

"What?" I asked. 

"People are saying Harry Potter is on the train and Millicent Bulstrode even seen him! Guess what else!? He is in our year!" 

Harry Potter? Really? I needed to see this for myself. Harry Potter is a very famous wizard. He defeated the darkest lord of the century when he was only a year old. My father has told me about him, of course since my father worked for that dark lord (he was/is a death eater that's what people were called who worked for the dark lord) he isn't impressed by Harry Potter and speaks rubbish of him. I myself wanted to meet the boy who defeated Lord Voldemort otherwise known as 'You-know-who' I motioned for my side kicks to come with me. (Same events in book) 

I was mad. As if that Potter boy would turn down my Draco Malfoys friendship for Ron Weasleys! Although it was funny when that rat bit Goyle. Thinking about it I smiled, and listened to Goyle complain about how much it hurts. _Cry me a river_ I thought to myself. Those muggles he lives with obviously ruined him. I mean the entire Weasley family (which is full of like 20 members in the same house, no wonder they are so poor) are such muggle loving fools. At least now I know why he was so dense back in the robes shop. 

(Same as in book when they crossed the lake... blah blah lets go to the sorting. I am sure you've read that enough to know what is going on.) 

All us first years crossed into the Great Hall. I began to feel a little nervous, I didn't know why. Maybe it was from all those eyes looking at me. Usually I like attention but... I don't know but would what was her name? Oh Professor McGonagall call the names already? Who cares about the hat song. I should just go and sit at Slytherin table, it's obvious that's where I'll end up. It was taking forever but finally: 

"Malfoy, Draco" 

I stepped up to the stool where the sorting hat was, I placed it on my head and sat down. The hat began whispering in my ear. 

"A Malfoy huh? Slytherin would suit you." 

_Obviously_ I thought. 

"But I'm not entirely sure. I notice a deep dark secret that no Malfoy should have, and a lot of the qualities you have should put you into Gryffindor instead." 

_What!? No, I belong in Slytherin. Why Gryffindor?_

"Because Slytherin really isn't the house for you even if you are a Malfoy. No I think the one and only house you should go into is GRYFFINDOR!" 

I sat stunned. _No, No please._ I took the hat and looked at professor McGonagall. 

"Can there be a re-sort?" I asked pleadingly. 

"No, go over to your house table Mr.Malfoy." She had a no nonsense voice. 

I got up from the stool and walked stiffly over to the Gryffindor table. Potter and Weasley were looking at each other in shock and disgust. _How?_ I asked myself. _did this happen?_ I sat down beside a bushy brown haired girl who greeted my happily. I ignored her and all the whispers around me. My father was going to kill me, maybe I should have gone to Durmstrang instead. 


	2. bad things, new friends and surprises

I ate in silence ignoring the many stares and whispers. All I could keep thinking was how? I finally got the courage to look over at the Slytherin table. Sure enough most of the people in my year some of the older students too, were watching me. Crabbe and Goyle who always looked stupid looked even more stupid when they were confused. Pansy looked really sad. She kept looking over at me then looking back at her food. Pansy is the only one who understands me, I'll have to talk to her later. I looked down at my plate again and ignored everything including the Headmasters speech at the end of the feast. The only thing I really heard was something about the third floor corridor being forbidden. I jumped when a voice started calling to all the first years at the Gryffindor table. I looked up at who it was and realized right away it was a Weasley. The red hair is always a dead give away every single one of them had red hair. I didn't catch his name, I wondered how many there were. The Weasley prefect lead us out of the Great Hall and started telling us the direct path to Gryffindor house. I didn't pay attention I was hoping some way I could get into Slytherin so I really didn't need to. Besides I would find my way around, I didn't see some poor Weasel to show me around. 

"Are you coming?" Someone asked poking me in the ribs. 

"Ow." I protested. It was the bushy haired girl, I think her name was Hermione but I wasn't sure. 

I looked and noticed we were right outside Gryffindor tower, I followed her in where the Weasel was telling the other first years where the dormitories were. I followed the group of boys up some steps until we reached a door that said 'First years' There were six four poster beds in the room. I found my bed right away, my trunk had already been brought up and placed in front if the bed. Probably by the house elves. I climbed into bed without getting dressed and shut the curtains. Two of the boys were whispering and I could guess that they were Potter and Weasley. 

I sat in bed thinking hard. I wondered if I should get my dad to come and complain to make me be in Slytherin. It could always work but then I could only imagine what he would say. _ "I knew we should have sent you into Durmstrang. Now look, I have to come all the way down here just to put you in Slytherin."_ and I would probably be punished too. So I had two choices suck it up and stay in Gryffindor or make me look like a little boy by making my father complain to the school. Then again I'll probably be punished for being in Gryffindor in the first place. I decided to sleep on it. 

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The first week went by slowly. Classes were... well horrible. I had no one to sit with or to talk with in any of my classes. The people in Slytherin and Gryffindor were being morons. Can't they see that I do not to be in Gryffindor? The Slytherins had turned against me completely. I found this out in the very first potions class. I tried to sit with Crabbe and Goyle but they shoved me away and I ended up hitting my head on the table, most people laughed except Pansy and Hermione. For the rest of the lesson all I could hear was the Slytherins talking about traitors and losers. 

Potions didn't get better after that, I was trying to prove to the Slytherins that I was still the same Draco Malfoy, I even slipped the wrong ingredients into Neville Longbottoms cauldron and it blew up. The only thing that did was cause me to get more enemies than friends. 

One morning at breakfast I was reading a letter from my mother. (I still haven't told her or father that I am in Gryffindor.) She apparently thought that I wasn't writing her because I was having too much fun with my friends. (Yea right. What friends?) I really wanted to tell her but father would kill me. I'd rather enjoy life for a bit longer, I'm only eleven. 

"Can you believe it? Flying lessons with the Slytherins today!" Weasley was saying. 

I looked up and noticed a lot of people were glaring at me. I shook my head and stared down at my breakfast. I wasn't hungry anymore, I stood up and stomped off from the Great Hall. They were acting like it was my fault, bloody gits. Can't they see I don't want to be in their stinking house? Dense people scare me you know that? 

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"Hey traitor, hope you don't fall off your broom. Oh yet yes I do. I could do with a laugh." A familiar voice said. 

I was outside with the rest of the Gryffindors waiting for Madame Hooch to give some instructions. (I don't need any.) I turned around to see who had said that, it had been Pansy. What? She has turned against me too? 

"Well lets just hope you can actually catch yours. When you go to pick up your broom look away you might scare it." I said angrily. 

That was mean to say but damn it she deserved it. Pansy isn't exactly pretty and she knows it and she is very sensitive about it too, so I knew I had hit her and good. I heard laughter and realized a lot of the Gryffindors had heard me and thought it was funny. Well at least I made them laugh, but it is not them I want to impress is it the Slytherins and that comment wasn't a very good start I had made Pansy cry. 

"Everyone step next to your broomstick and hold out your hand and say up." Madame Hooch said. 

Mine zoomed into my hand right away, where as some peoples brooms didn't even move. It was amusing listening to the people get mad because there broom wasn't going up. Madame Hooch started going around showing everyone how to mount the broomstick properly. I had been doing it for years and so when Madame Hooch came to show me I told her giving a smirk. 

"Sorry, but you have been doing it wrong for years." She announced loud enough for everyone to hear. People started to laugh, including Gryffindors. Ok so much for them being on my side. What does that old bat know? I am an awesome flyer and I know it. You know I once dodged a muggle helicopter while flying. I gave him quite a scare too. 

People were laughing or gasping I looked around and saw that Neville Longbottom had lost control of his broom. Everyone watched him go up higher then fall back to the ground. 

"Ooh!" People moaned as we heard a sickening crack, probably his arm had broke. I noticed he dropped something and realized it was something he had gotten at breakfast this morning. It was a remembrall, I bent down to pick it up hearing Madame hooch warn everyone to stay off the brooms or they would be expelled. I knew that I could use this to get the Slytherins back on my side. 

"Did you see his face?" I asked. "I bet if the fat lump had given this a squeeze he would have remembered to fall on his fat arse." 

"Give it here Malfoy." Potter said quietly holding out his hand. 

"No. I think I'll leave it for Longbottom to find. How about a tree?" and with that I climbed on my broomstick and flew up. I turned back to Potter. "What's the matter Potter? A bit beyond your reach?" I yelled to him, wondering what the Slytherins were thinking. 

In an instant Potter had flown up in front of me. "Give it here Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom." He yelled angrily. 

"Fine have it your way then." I said. 

I threw it as hard as I could then flew back down to the ground, I turned back in time to watch him dive and actually catch the Remembrall. Even I have to admit, that was impressive since he has never flown a broom in his life. The Slytherins weren't impressed at all, not my be and not by Potters performance. He landed in front of the students when someone yelled: 

"HARRY POTTER!" 

Everyone turned to see who it was, Professor McGonagall was marching over mumbling that he could have broken his neck. Professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor house, and she didn't look happy at all. _Uh oh_ I thought. _If I get him expelled everything is going to be worse for me then it already is._ People were making protests that it wasn't his fault. 

"Quiet!" McGonagall said sternly. "Potter follow me." 

Everyone started heading back to the castle, the Slytherins took a different way they were laughing about Potter being expelled. 

"What is your problem?" Hermione Granger asked grabbing my arm. 

"Don't touch me!" I snarled. I stopped walking and glared at her. 

"Well honestly! Trying to get a boy in your own house expelled." She said stopping too. 

"Well it probably wouldn't have happened if I was in Slytherin!" 

"Just because you didn't get in the house you wanted doesn't mean you need to be mean to the people in the one you end up in. I know people haven't been the nicest to you but you do need to understand. You are a Malfoy." 

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" I asked angrily even though I knew perfectly well what she meant. 

"Well... and please don't get mad at me Draco but from what I have heard your family has a bad reputation. People just don't trust you. I've heard so much bad things about your father and how he buys peoples trust." 

"I am nothing like my father Hermione." I said angrily. 

"I know, but don't you see? The sorting hat obviously saw some goodness in you. Why else would it have put you in Gryffindor?" 

I nodded. The hat had said it saw a dark secret that Malfoys shouldn't have, but I still would have been good even if I had been in Slytherin. I didn't bother to waste my breath telling Hermione that. 

"Well it sure is hard to convince that lot." 

"All you have to do is start being nice, they'll get over it once the shock has worn off." 

"Yea right. Look at you, you are nice and you don't have any friends. Forgive me for saying that." 

"See what I mean, you are a great person Draco." Hermione said smiling at me. She held her hand out. "Friends?" 

"Is this a pity friendship? I mean I have none and you have none..." I began, I was only teasing! honest. 

"Oh Draco answer the question." 

"Sure whatever." I took her hand and shook it. 

We started walking again in silence. Well if Hermione is this forgiving I wonder how the others will be like. Gryffindors are really trusting after all, so maybe it won't take much. 

"So why did you do it?" Hemione asked interrupting my thoughts. 

"I wanted to impress the Slytherins." I admitted. 

"Why though? I mean it looks like they will only be friends with you if you are in Slytherin. With friends like that, you don't need enemies." 

"Well if I actually think about it, it is stupid. I mean I can't even stand them. Crabbe and Goyle were only my friends because we grew up together." I said laughing. 

"Well there you go. Now you can make a fresh new start." She said. She was acting like the Gryffindors would actually welcome me with open arms. 

"That really was mean what you said to Pansy though." Hermione said. 

"About what?" I asked distractedly. 

"That her broom would get scared off if she looked at it." 

I started to laugh. Oh shit I had forgotten all about that, Hermione was smiling looking amused. Ok so I had won one Gryffindor over. Now I just needed to win the rest over. 

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That night at dinner I was very relieved to see that Potter hadn't been expelled. In fact he is the new Gryffindor seeker for the Quidditch teams. So I actually did him a favour, not that he would admit it to me unless it was to taunt me. 

"Surprised to see Harry here aren't you?" Weasley asked me smirking as if I had wanted Potter expelled. 

"Yea, look Potter I wasn't trying to get you expelled I was fooling around. Professor McGonagall surprised me too." 

Potter nodded but I wasn't sure if he believed me or not. 

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Later in the common room Hermione was doing homework like usual and I couldn't concentrate on mine. I decided to go for a walk even though it was past curfew. (I am sneaky and probably won't be caught.) I decided to take unfamiliar ways, to get to know the castle better. I ended up at a locked door at the top of a staircase and I decided to check it out. I used alohomora (unlocking spell) and opened the door. I froze, literally. It was the most awful thing I have ever seen. It was a giant dog with three heads. No word of a lie. 

"AHHHHHHHHH!" I yelled when I finally could move. I slammed the door shut then I turned and ran. _So thats the third floor corridor_ I told myself as I ran. That thing was awful and it takes a lot to scare me. I ran up the steps to Gryffindor tower when I tripped over something. I went flying threw the air and landed on my knee hard. I started rubbing it and cursed, that really hurt. I looked over to see what I had tripped over. 

"Longbottom what are you doing?" I asked angrily. 

He had been sleeping at the top of the steps and since it was dark I didn't see him laying there when I came up. 

"I-I forgot the password. I came back from the hospital wing... what are you doing out?" 

"Just walking around, I couldn't concentrate on my homework." I said truthfully. 

"Sorry, are you ok?" He asked realizing I had hurt my knee. 

"Yea, I'll heal." I said. 

I stood and Neville and I went over to the portrait. I said the password listening to the fat lady grumble about students being out at night. Longbottom hurried up to the dormitiry but I stayed in the common room to think about that dog. It was obviously guarding something... but what? And why? 


	3. Feathers, trolls and possibly new friend...

Life seemed more bearable with Hermione as a friend. The Slytherins were idiots but I didn't care what they thought anymore. The Gryffindors seemed to get over what I did to Potter and they actually seemed a bit more friendly now that I was hanging out with one of them. In fact the only one who seemed to still be bothered by me being in Gryffindor was Weasley. Potter didn't even seem to care anymore. 

On Halloween morning I got a letter from mother, I opened it thinking it was going to be like the usual letters; asking how I am and why I haven't been writing. I opened the letter and began to read it. 

_Dear Draco.   
A couple days ago your father and I received a letter from Pansy Parkinson asking if we were as shocked as she was about you being in Gryffindor. We indeed were shocked especially since being almost two months into the school year we haven't heard from you. At least now I know why you haven't been writing. Your father is very disappointed that you ended up in Gryffindor and he keeps telling me that we should have sent you to Durmstrang. However I am disappointed because it appears my own son can't tell his parents important things. It upsets me that you seem to be scared of us. _

Your father and I both love you (and don't make that face) and we will be proud of you no matter what. Next time I hope I'll hear from you about something I should know and not from someone else. 

Love mom 

Hermione was reading over my shoulder. 

"You never told them?" She asked. I shook my head. I had told her a lot of things since we had become friends but I hadn't told her that I hadn't written to my parents. 

"See no matter how much you complain about them not loving you, they do." She said smiling at me. "Lets go to charms." 

In Charms we were practising levitating feathers in partners and to Hermione's disgust she ended up with Weasley as a partner. I ended up with Potter, but he didn't seem so dense, we were making a bit more progress then most people. We didn't get it in the air but it was lifting a bit. 

"Try to put a bit more expression this time." I said as it lifted up little bit. 

I could here Hermione complaining that to Ron that he was saying it all wrong. I looked over at them and watched as Hermione did it. It floated right over our heads. Professor Flitwick got extremely excited and told the class to watch Hermione try it. 

"Wingardium Leviosa." Potter said with a lot of expression. The feather lifted up but not as high or as long as Hermiones did. 

"Well it's progress." I said smiling. 

Yes I have been trying hard to earn the Gryffindors trust that I was being extremely nice to all of them. Including Weasley, but he didn't by into it of course. 

"Here your turn." Potter said pushing the feather towards me. 

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I said. The feather went up just a little bit but not as high as Potters. 

"Ha, I beat you!" He said smirking at me. 

"You just wait." I said. 

I went to try again but I looked over at Seamus Finnigan who was getting frusterated after he watched Potter and I. He prodded the feather with his wand and accidently set fire to it. I started to laugh. 

"I did better than that anyway." I said. 

The bell rang ending class, I started to go over to Hermione who was glaring at Weasley but Professor Flitwick called me over to him. 

"Mr. Malfoy, I've noticed some improvement in your work lately and I am pleased to say you got top marks on the last essay." 

I was shocked, that meant I even beat Hermione. Ok I am no dunce but I am definately not brainy either. Hermione was the cleverest witch I knew. I thanked the professor then left wondering why Hermione was in Gryffindor. People as clever as her usually went to Ravenclaw, but than again people like me ended up in Slytherin. I went into the next class to ask Hermione this but she wasn't there. In fact she didn't show up to any of her classes or lunch and she wasn't at the feast either. 

_What the hell is going on?_ Hermione would never miss a class. I bet she would go even if she was really sick. I felt lonely during the feast and didn't enjoy it as much as I would have and there was some awesome food there. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard someone running into the Great Hall I looked up and saw Professor Quirrel (The defense against the dark arts teacher) running in. 

"Troll! In the dungeons! Troll in the dungeons." He ran straight to the staff table and stopped. "Thought you should know." Then fainted. 

Well that's odd isn't it? This man is suppose to be awesome with trolls, why the hell would he faint? Then another thought struck me. Hermione! Where the hell is she? Maybe she was in the common room. Professor Dumbledore silenced everyone since most people were screaming and told the prefects to lead their houses back to the common rooms. I walked behind everyone and noticed something odd. Professor Snape, the potions teacher and head of Slytherin house was running toward the stairs that lead straight to the third floor corridor. (I Should know, those are the same steps I took when I met the dog.) I shrugged and caught up to the rest of the chattering first years. 

Up in the common room everyone was acting all tense and scared. (Gryffindors are suppose to be brave. Yea right, they are scared of some troll. Trolls are stupid, they are like Crabbe and Goyle. Smells like them too.) Food had been sent up so people could finish the feast, I didn't feel like eating, I didn't see Hermione anywhere. I noticed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil (first years) standing near the fireplace talking. I pushed my way through the crowd over to them noticing Potter and Weasley were missing too. 

"Is Hermione in the dormitory?" I asked them when I reached them. 

"No, she had been crying all day in the toilets." Lavender said. 

"What? Why?" 

"She wouldn't tell us. She'll be fine though, I think Ron and Harry went looking for her. They wandered off somewhere." 

I nodded, typical. They were probably going to see if they could find the troll or something stupid. They hated Hermione and Hermione hated them so I couldn't see them looking for her. I just wanted to know what on earth made her cry. She seemed perfectly fine in charms. I went over to the portrait door. I would wait until she or Potter and Weasley came back. The door suddenly opened and Hermione climbed in looking shaken up. 

"Are you ok?" I asked automatically. "Why were you crying." 

Hermione hugged me and began to laugh. 

"What is so funny?" I demanded. 

"You are, you've changed so much." She said smiling. 

"I see. Lets go get some food or something." 

"I just want to wait for Ron and Harry." She said waving her hand. 

"Why?" 

The door opened again and Potter and Weasley came in. The three of them stared at each other awkwardly for a few minutes then said "Thanks." 

What the hell is going on? I asked myself as I followed them to get a plate of food. They seemed very friendly with each other. Potter was talking to Hermione as he put on his plate as if they had always been friends. Weasley kept smiling at her. _Oh great. If they are friends then I have lost my only friend._ I thought to myself. I walked away from them and sat in an empty chair away from everyone. I was very surprised when Hermione lead Potter and Weasley over and they all sat in the empty chairs around me. 

"Draco and I almost beat you guys with the feather today." Potter said smiling at me. 

Oh my gosh, the bloke has actually accepted me. He is acting like we were friends, like all four of us were old time friends. See what I mean about Gryffindors being really trusting? Weasley was scowling at me though, oh well two friends is better than none. 

"So what happened anyway?" I asked looking at them, I had a feeling that Potter and Weasley had something to do with Hermione's absence. 

The three of them began talking at once. It seems Weasley had said that Hermione was a nightmare and he had done an imitation of her when she knew an answer then he had said she had no friends. So that was why she was crying in the bathroom. (Didn't either one of them realize I was her friend?) When we heard about the troll Harry and Ron went to the rescue. Literally, they knocked the troll out after accidently locking it in the bathroom with her. (Git's) Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrel discovered the three of them and wanted to know what was going on. Hermione lied and said she had tried looking for the troll since she had read all about them and Ron and Harry only tried to stop her. Ok that explains the sudden friendship, and possibly Harry was friendly to me (notice I stopped calling them by their last names?) only because I was friends with Hermione; or may be because he wanted to be friends. Ron it was hard to say. 

"I just want to know why there was blood all over his leg." Harry said deep in thought. "There was an awful gash." 

"The three headed dog." I said automatically. 

"Huh?" Hermione and Harry asked at the same time. 

"What are you on about Malfoy?" Ron asked looking at me like I was a madman or something. 

"Draco, not Malfoy." I snapped. I hated being called by my last name. 

"Sorry, but what the hell are you talking about?" 

I told them all about my night walk and my encounter with the three headed dog. (Leaving out the part where I screamed, I am a Malfoy I'm not suppose to get scared and apparently I need to be brave being in Gryffindor and all.) Then I explained how Snape looked like he was going to the third floor corridor while the teachers were going the other way. 

"So are you saying you think that dog thing bit him?" Ron asked. 

I nodded. "Why would they have a thing like that in a school?" Ron asked. "Are they mad? It could have been you that had got bit. You're a student that wouldn't be good." 

"Well it's forbidden, and I knew that so I wouldn't have an excuse for being there. Father could bail me out but still. Anyway I think it must be guarding something there was a trapdoor underneath it." I answered. 

"Possibly for Dumbledore." Harry said looking at me as if something made sense to him. Hermione looked as confused as I felt, Ron seemed to know what he was talking about. 

"When Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley he took something from a high security vault at Gringotts for Dumbledore. That very same day someone tried to steal from that vault." 

"So you think that the dog is guarding whatever Hagrid took from Gringotts?" Hermione asked. 

"Well that dog is probably Hagrids. He takes care of those kinds of animals does he not?" I asked. 

"Well we could ask him tomorrow." Ron said looking at Harry. 

"Are you sure he'll tell us anything?" I asked. 

"I don't know, he was quiet about the package from Gringotts but it is worth a try." Harry answered scratching his head. 

The four of us went to bed feeling full and curious about what that dog could be guarding for Dumbledore. I actually hadn't thought of it for a while but now it was bugging me again. It seemed I had made two more friends that night, although I was still unsure about Ron. I felt happier then I had in a while. 

Please, please read and review! 


	4. Questions, Quidditch, Nicholas Flamel

"Oh wake up already!" A voice said sounding irritated. 

"Mmph. Go way." I mumbled. 

"No. Wake up." 

I opened my eyes to see Ron and Harry standing over me. 

"We are going to eat than visit Hagrid." Harry said. 

"I'll let you off this time." I mumbled. "But next time you wake up, I'll kill you." 

"Well, we could have just easily gone without you and not tell you what we found out." Ron said scowling at me sounding like that was he actually wanted to do. 

"Or maybe you could have waited until I was a wake on my own." I answered sitting up and glaring at him. Fine if was going to be a pain I would be right back. I don't need to be nice, you know now that people have actually accepted me. 

"You're a heavy sleeper." Ron said ignoring me. "We shook you and I even called you Malfoy." 

"You're lucky I was asleep than." 

Harry laughed and motioned for Ron to follow him. Bloody gits, why didn't they just let me sleep? We have all damn day to visit Hagrid and they wake me up at . . . I grabbed the alarm clock and squinted at it 8:30am. Who the hell wakes up that early when they don't have to? I don't that's for sure, at home mother usually has to wake me if I sleep too late. 

I met Harry, Ron and Hermione down in the common room and the four of us left together to the Great Hall. I ignored them all while I ate breakfast. Hermione looked very happy. She seemed too happy actually, I couldn't imagine waking up happy. Harry looked tired and I was guessing that Ron had woken him up. They were talking in a whisper, low enough for no one to hear but loud enough so I could. I really didn't care, all I could think about was going back to the dormitory and going back to sleep. 

Next thing I knew I was trailing behind the others over to Hagrids hut. Imagine living in something that small? I couldn't imagine. Hagrid was out in his garden talking to his dog Fang. The dog looked quite large and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go near it, but then again the dog was probably a lot nicer than the giant three headed one. 

"Hey Hagrid." Harry greeted happily when we reached him. 

(Author's apology: I cannot do Hagrid. So just use your imagination. I kept trying and kept making mistakes, so it's best to just make him talk normally but you can imagine how he talks.) "Hi there Harry." Hagrid said looking up. "Ron, er Draco Malfoy and Hermione?" 

Hermione nodded and stuck her hand out enthusiastically for him to shake, he shook her hand and stared at me for a moment before holding his hand out for me to shake it. 

"Lucius Malfoy's son." He asked as I took his hand. I nodded forcing a smile hoping he wouldn't say anything else about him. 

"So what are you kids up to today?" He asked letting go of my hand. 

"Not too much. Actually we needed to ask you something." Harry said getting right to it. Good maybe we would find out quick then I can go back to bed. 

"About what?" Hagrid asked looking at each us of in return. 

"It is about that three headed dog in the third floor corridor." Ron said. 

"What? How do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked shocked. 

"_Fluffy!?_ You named that thing _Fluffy_" I burst out. Is this man mental? 

"Well he needs a name doesn't he?" 

"Well yea, but come on. Fluffy? Fluffy is for . . . I don't know a little kitten or something, that thing is more like a..." 

"We wanted to know if it's guarding something." Hermione said interrupting me. 

"And what it's guarding." Harry added. 

"I can't tell you kids that, more than my job's worth to tell you that. You kids are nosing in something that is none of your business." Hagrid answered. 

"So it is guarding something though right?" I asked. 

"Because we think that Snape is trying to steal it." Harry added. 

"Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher. He wouldn't try to steal it." 

"Halloween night I saw..." 

"Look, I'm a bit busy right now, why don't you come around later for some tea?" Hagrid interrupted me. 

We walked back toward the castle, the other three looked disappointed I however felt a bit cranky. 

"You two wake me up early for that? We didn't find out anything new except that Hagrid thinks we are nosy kids." 

"Well we did learn that is it guarding something." Harry said. 

"We assumed that already." I snapped. 

"Well now we know for sure, you know you didn't have to come with us." Ron snapped back. 

"Er . . . so what do you guys want to do?" Hermione asked. 

"I don't know about you three but I am going back to bed." I said. I am sure I heard a small "Good go" from Ron. 

"Why?" Hermione asked. 

"That's what I want to do." 

"Want to play chess?" Ron asked Harry. 

"I don't know. I think Wood wants to have a practice today. Game is coming up soon." Harry said. 

When we reached the common room I went straight up to the dormitory and climbed back into bed. It was empty, the other boys must have woke up while we were out. As I lay in bed, I thought about Ron and Harry. Harry has seemed to accept me ok. Ron obviously hasn't yet. I couldn't figure out if I was upset by it or not. Why should I be? He was being a git and I could always be one back. It came very easy to me. I wondered what they were talking about down in the common room. Probably me, maybe neither Ron nor Harry wanted me part of the group. Maybe they were only putting up with me because I was Hermione's friend and they knew and I knew Hermione wouldn't ditch me like that. Then again Harry seemed friendly to me after I apologized about the flying incident. No, I think it was just Ron. He is probably just putting up with me because Harry and Hermione wanted to be my friends. I couldn't fall back to sleep, curiosity got me about what they were doing. 

When I reached the common room, I found Hermione and Ron sitting by the fire playing wizards chess. They were talking about their families while playing. 

"Charlie is in Romania working with dragons, Bill works in Gringotts in Egypt, you've met Percy he is the prefect." Ron made a bitter face at that. "Then there are the twins, Fred and George, you've met them too, they have always caused Havoc. Then there's me than Ginny. She is coming here next year." 

"You have a lot of siblings." I said sitting down near them. Ron glared at me as if he thought I was meaning it was a bad thing or else I was going to indicate that he was poor. 

"I wish I had at least a brother or something. You're lucky to have so many." I said to show him that wasn't what I meant at all. 

"Not really, I mean it may sound like I never get lonely but I do. I mean the twins have each other, Percy he's too annoying for me to talk to and Ginny is well she's Ginny." He said. 

I laughed 'That explains a lot." Indicating what he said about Ginny. 

"She's a girl, you know what I mean? I can't do things with her that I would do with a brother." 

I nodded, "I would be happy even if I had a sister. It gets pretty lonely. You probably wish you were an only child but trust me you are lucky." I answered. 

"By the way Hermione you really suck at chess." I said staring at the board as Ron took another one of her pieces. 

"You play Ron then." She said. 

"I'll beat you." I said. 

"I doubt it." 

We played some games while Hermione watched jealously that she was rubbish at something for a change. This is the way I like playing wizards chess. Ron was equally as good as I was, which meant you could never tell who was going too win and it was actually a challenge. Whenever I played with Crabbe or Goyle I always won. Harry came in part-way through the fourth game. (I had won the first two times Ron had beat me the next time and it was hard to say for this game.) 

"I think you have finally met your match." Harry said to Ron. I looked up at him, he was all muddy obviously he did have Quidditch practice. Funny I hadn't even noticed he wasn't around. 

"I think so too." Ron said groaning as he thought he has tricked me but hadn't and I took four of his pieces. Harry was obviously rubbish at chess too. He sat down and he and Hermione began talking about Professor Snape again. I smirked at Hermione, I was glad that she actually hated a teacher. Honestly she acted like all teachers were gods or something. That's how browner's act though. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The day of the first Quidditch match of the year had finally come. We could finally see how well Harry would play. As a treat for Harry Dean Thomas who was good with quill made a banner out of a sheet Scabber's ruined (Remember the rat that bit Goyle? I still smile at that thought.) On the banner was: 

POTTER FOR PRESIDENT 

Underneath that he drew a Gryffindors lion. Hermione went one better and made it so that the letters flashed. We hung it up in the stands. I stared at thinking it needed more then just flashy letters. I decided to bewitch to make it yell things out. Since Gryffindor was playing Slytherin I made it yell things like: 

"Slytherin stinks!" 

"Lions for the cup." 

"Gryffindor team is the best." 

"Eat dung Slytherin." 

Ha! I bet you would never think I would do that, but hey I might as well live up to the traitor that I apparently am right? I made it so that it would only do it if someone flew close to where we were so it wouldn't get annoying. Impressive for a first year huh? Well you learn a lot being a Malfoy and all. 

Hagrid came up in the stands to sit with us halfway through the match. People were groaning as they got squashed him, I swear that man swallowed a bottle of skele-gro he isn't a small man. 

"I was watching from my hut but it isn't the same as watching from the stands. Harry done much yet?" 

Not really, he was just circling around the pitch looking for the snitch. 

"Slytherins suck!" The banner yelled out as a Slytherin flew by with the Quaffle. 

"Clever." Hagrid said. "I bet that Hermione did that." 

"No actually Draco did it." Seamus Finnigan said smiling at me. I think I really won the trust over by making the banner talk like that. 

The look on Hagrids face was clearly shock. Obviously he still didn't trust me even though we had come round to his house a lot. I shrugged, he would eventually just like anyone else who didn't trust me. 

"I don't know what Harry thinks he's doing." Hagrid said looking up at Harry through his binoculars. 

I looked up. Harry's broom was bucking as if trying to throw him off. What the hell? A nimbus doesn't do that, and I heard Hagrid say the same thing out loud. Hermione grabbed Hagrids binoculars and started scanning the crowd. 

"What are you doing?" Ron asked. 

"I knew it!" Hermione said handing the binoculars over to Ron. 

He gasped at what he had seen then handed the binoculars to me. Professor Snape was staring right up at the broom mumbling something. He was jinxing it. Why the hell would he do that? He was trying to kill a student. 

"What are we going to do?" Ron mumbled. 

"Leave it to me." Hermione said getting up suddenly and leaving. 

"What is she doing?" Ron asked me. 

I looked up Ron's twin brothers were circling under him trying to pull him onto one of their own brooms but anytime one of them got close to him the broom would jerk higher. 

"Hurry Hermione!" Ron moaned as Harry slipped and now was only hanging onto the jerking broom by one hand. "What if she doesn't do whatever she is doing in time?" Ron asked turning to me shaking with a white face. 

"One of your brothers will catch him." I said, I looked around at Hagrid who had his binoculars back and was watching Harry. I wondered what he thought, he didn't seem to have heard us though. 

"Yes!" Ron shouted. 

I looked up and saw Harry climbing back onto his broom then he zoomed over to the Slytherin seeker who was chasing after the snitch. The crowd was now cheering and on their feet. Harry had dived after the snitch, then suddenly he stopped and landed on the ground. It looked as though he was going to be sick. 

"What's wrong with Harry?" Hagrid asked noticing. The crowd went silent. 

Suddenly he opened his mouth and the snitch popped right out onto his hand. It took a few minutes for people to realize what had happened then everyone started cheering. (Excluding the Slytherins) 

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch! One hundred and fifty points are awarded to Gryffindor, GRYFFINDOR WIN!!!!" The commentator yelled. Ron slapped me a high five we had won the first match of the season. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

After the game Hermione filled us in on what, she did. She had set fire to Snapes robes then put it into a jar and had run off. We than filled Harry in what we had see during the match. It made us even more suspicious. Snape must know that we know he is trying to steal whatever the dog was guarding. Harry and I were walking down the corridor discussing what it could be and why Snape would want to steal it when we bumped into him and Professor Quarrel. I didn't think that they had heard us but obviously they had, or Snape at least. 

We needed Hagrid to listen this time, we needed to tell him what we had saw and maybe we could somehow get him to slip whatever it was the dog was guarding. 

"It was Snape who was jinxing Harry's broom." I burst out when we went over to him afterwards. 

"Snape? You four aren't still on about him are you?" Hagrid asked. "Listen Snape would never try and kill a student, he is a teacher." 

"Even so." Hermione began. "I have read all about jinxes you have to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking." 

"I think he might have overheard Harry and I." I said. " I think he knows that we know he is trying to steal what the monster of a thing you call Fluffy, I still can't see why but whatever. He must have tried to kill Harry because he knew we were suspicious." 

"Listen to me, you four are getting involved in something that you don't need to be." Hagrid said, I could tell he was losing his patience. "What that dog is guarding is between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel." 

Ha! He let something I knew it! You could tell he was now looking very awkward and he mumbled something that sounded like "I shouldn't have said that." 

"So there is someone called Nicholas Flamel is there?" Harry asked. 

We turned and left Hagrid standing there. Nicholas Flamel. Where had I heard that name before? It was oddly familiar. Harry and Ron had apparently heard of it before too but they couldn't remember where. It was essential we knew though, I think once we found out who he was, we would know what that dog was guarding. 

Read and review! 


	5. Christmas and Pansy's confession

"Guys, we have been searching through this library for ages." I complained.  
  
It was true. Ever since we had heard about Flamel we spent our breaks in the library looking for him and so far we had found nothing.  
  
"We have to keep looking."Hermione said.  
  
"Oh, come on. I hate to say it but Draco is right can we please have a break or something?" Ron whined.  
  
"Oh Christmas break is coming up, you'll have a break then!" Hermione said in an irritated voice.  
  
"Hermione, we have checked everywhere in this library. I don't think we are going to find him." Harry mumbled.  
  
"Oh you three!" Hermione said exasperated. "It's not going to kill you, you know."  
  
It must not be fun for Hermione to be the only girl in a group of friends. She never seemed to mind but still, but she doesn't complain and neither does anyone else. It is good to have a smart book work like Hermione in a group of friends. It can be a bit annoying like now when we spend every waking moment in the library or class but it is useful I have to admit that.  
  
"You two will search for something though won't you?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry.  
  
"Yea and it wouldn't hurt to mention it to your parents. It should be safe." Ron answered.  
  
"Very safe as they are both dentists."  
  
"Well I can check the manor in the library. I doubt there will be anything... useful in there but it is worth a try." I said. I glanced at Ron quickly who shrugged.  
  
"You could maybe ask your parents . . . " Hermione began.  
  
"No!" Ron, Harry and I shouted at the same time.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well it was a suggestion and keep your voices down."  
  
"Have fun!" Hermione said waving goodbye to Ron and Harry as we climbed into the horseless carriages to get on the trains to go home for Christmas. I gave a little wave as the carriage began to move.  
  
"How do you suppose these are moving?" I asked Hermione.  
  
"I don't know but I bet those two won't search the library at all." She answered shaking her head.  
  
"Hermione, not everyone loves the library like you." I said.   
  
I stuck my head out the carriage window to see if I could see any signs of how the carriage was moving. I mean was it bewitched to move, or was something invisible pulling it?  
  
"I know that, but this is important, we need to know what that dog is guarding. What are you doing anyway?"  
  
"Seeing what could be making these move."  
  
"Some sort of magic I suppose. Do you think that Snape will try and steal whatever that dog is guarding during the holidays? I mean it is less likely he will be caught."  
  
"I don't know. Hey I just saw a rock go flying it is some invisible animal pulling these. I think it kicked the rock."  
  
"Draco? Why does it matter?" Hermione asked impatiently.  
  
"I don't know." I said pulling my head back inside. "But it is time to get off."  
  
When we got off the carriage I went to the front to see if I could feel anything there but Hermione grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the train.  
  
"Hey! I was seeing if some invisible animal was there." I said pulling my arm away.  
  
Hermione shook her head and kept walking.  
  
We found a compartment on the train with Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. I wondered if they knew what was pulling the carriage I was about to ask but Dean brought up Quidditch so the talk turned to Quidditch instead. Hermione pulled a book from her trunk and began reading it. I think it annoyed her when Harry, Ron and I talked about Quidditch when ever we were trying to find Nicholas Flamel.   
  
The talk turned to families after a while. Neville Longbottom told us he lived with his Gran but wouldn't say more. I had heard something terrible had happened to his parents but my parents wouldn't tell me what exactly so I asked Dean about his family instead.  
  
The compartment door opened after we had bought some snacks and Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle came in.  
  
"Well, well, well traitor. You ditch us for scum like this?" Pansy asked.  
  
"Get out." I answered.  
  
"No, what if we want to say?" Pansy asked smirking.   
  
I watched Crabbe and Goyle step out of the compartment (still must be use to be listening to me.)  
  
"Well it is going to be a little hard for you to stay now won't it?" I asked.   
  
I stood up and pushed her out then slammed the door afterwards. Crabbe and Goyle stared at me through the glass for a few minutes before they left. Pansy followed them looking angry. No one talked for a few minutes than Neville offered everyone his chocolate frog cards. I got Albus Dumbledore, I had plenty of him so I slipped the card in my pocket than brought Quidditch up again.  
  
That night at home father told me he wanted to talk to me after dinner. iUh oh/i I thought ithis cannot be good/i So after dinner I sat on the couch in the living room while I watched father pace back and forth in front of me.   
  
"So son, I heard from some reliable sources that you have become friends with a Weasley and a mudblood."   
  
(A mudblood is a muggleborn. According to people like my parents muggleborns have dirty blood. Hermione is a muggle born.)  
  
"I have sir." I admitted. There is no point in lying to my father, he'll get the veritasum. (A potion that forces someone to tell the truth.)  
  
"You know that the Weasleys are blood traitors don't you?" He asked glaring at me, he knew I did.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You also know that we Malfoys disapprove of muggleborns?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"So I am curious to why you would hang out with such scum than."  
  
"Sir I had no choice. All the Slytherins turned against me."  
  
"Yes, how did you end up in Gyrffindor?"  
  
"The hat said I had more traits of a Gryffindor than I did a Slytherin. I asked Professor McGonagall if there could be a re-sort but she said no."  
  
Father began pacing I knew what was coming: IYou should have contacted me than, I would have gotten you into Slytherin where you belong./i  
  
"Well Draco, I really don't like the company you have chosen but it is your choice. I just hope that you will soon realize what a mistake you are making. Since you are almost twelve you can learn the hard way."  
  
I stared at father. He had said what I had least expected him to say. There was still the problems with the Slytherins and Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy would be around for the Malfoy Christmas party we have every year Christmas night.  
  
"Father. Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy all hate me. They call me a traitor and that was before I began hanging out with Ron and Hermione. They never even gave me a chance to explain what happened! What am I going to do at the Christmas party."  
  
"You'll just have to make it up with them son. You don't want them as your enemies."  
  
"Well what if I don't want to be friends with them? They have made my life a living hell and I am not going to forgive them just like that. You always say Malfoy's don't forgive."  
  
"Than you will just have to avoid them at the party. You are making a huge mistake though, but again you are turning twelve, you can make your own decisions from now on."  
  
I nodded and father actually smiled at me. (He is acting very strangely.)  
  
"Well son, if that's all I need to go to my study." Father said standing up.  
  
"That's all sir." I answered.  
  
The next day I went to Diagon Alley to look for Christmas presents for Ron, Harry and Hermione. Mother was surprised when I told her I wanted to get presents for my friends since I had never bought presents for Crabbe or Goyle. I usually got Pansy something but than again I had actually liked her. I was even surprised myself from my generosity.   
  
I decided to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies to get Ron and Harry's gifts. Anything from there would please them. Automatically I saw something for Ron. It was a Chudley Cannons robe with all the teams signatures on it floating around. I personally didn't like the Chudley Cannons but Ron is obsessed. According to Fred and George the twins, his room was full of Chudley Cannons things. They said the orange hurt their eyes whenever they went inside his room. I grabbed the robe than I started looking around for something for Harry. I found a Quidditch model set where the players moved and yelled things out to each other or to the person playing with it. I knew Harry would love it so I grabbed it. When I payed for Ron and Harry's gift's I left the shop wondering what to get Hermione. I knew she wouldn't like anything from the Quidditch shop.  
  
I decided to go down to Flourish and Blotts the book store. Hermione after all was a book worm and any book would suit her. I examined the shelves and the tables wondering which one book I should get. I stopped at a table and picked up a small black book with gold lettering it said:  
  
"The all knowing book."  
  
I opened it and at the top of the page it said: "Say anything and the book will tell you all about it."  
  
I stared at it wondering what I should say, and wondering if it would work. Finally I thought about Harry and how he is famous and all. I wondered if the book knew about him.  
  
"Er . . . Harry Potter."  
  
The pages suddenly filled up with words.  
  
iHarry Potter (The-boy-who-lived.) Is famous for surviving Lord Voldemort (He-who-must-not-be-named) when he was just a year old. Lord Voldemort killed Harry's parents first before turning on Harry. He used the killing curse (Avada Kedavra.) but failed miserably. The curse rebounded on Lord Voldemort leaving him weak and powerless. Lord Voldemort fled leaving Harry with nothing but a lightning scar on his forehead.  
  
Lord Voldemort usually sent his Death Eaters to do the dirty work for him. So why did he kill the Potters himself? The answers are all here:/i  
  
As curious as I was, I stopped reading. It was making me mad reading about it. I shook my head and slammed the book shut. Harry definitely was a hero and anyone who didn't think so could answer to me. I knew the book would be a perfect gift for Hermione, I was about to go to the counter when I turned back and grabbed another book for myself. It was very useful after all.  
  
  
  
Mother shook me to wake me up Christmas morning. I groaned and tried waving her away. I didn't need to be awake yet.  
  
"Come on dear you've slept all morning. It is time to wake up so you can open your presents." She was saying.  
  
"I hate Christmas." I mumbled not opening my eyes.  
  
"Fine. I'll open your presents and keep them for myself."  
  
"You do that."  
  
"Draco dear come on."  
  
I opened my eyes, she smiling at me. I hate happy people in the morning, why are people happy in the morning? Mother turned and left. Knowing she would be back I climbed out of bed and got dressed.  
  
There was a huge pile of presents for me. I found Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's at the top of the pile. Hermione had sent me a box of Bertie Blotts every flavour beans. Both Ron and Harry sent me chocolate frogs. I shook my head, next year they could just get Candy than too. Between the three of them I had spent fifty galleons on them. I noticed an oddly wrapped package next. I opened it and pulled out a knitted gray sweater with DM in white lettering. It was from Ron's mother, I couldn't believe it Ron's mother had knitted me a sweater. I picked up a note that fell out of the package.  
  
"iDear Draco, Ron has told me so much about you. I hope you have a great Christmas.  
  
br  
  
-Love Mrs Weasley./i  
  
Ron had told me that Mrs Weasley usually knitted him and his siblings sweaters but I never really thought anything of it. I wondered if Hermione and Harry had received one too. She had also sent my a package of Fudge. I made a mental to write back to her to thank her for the gift.  
  
I unwrapped fathers gift next. I gasped it was a Nimbus two thousand broom stick just like Harry had. I had told mother all about Harry making the team and how he had been sent the broomstick but I hadn't expected one. He also sent me a Quidditch set it had the Bludgers, a Snitch and the Quaffle. Father was grinning at me from the couch.  
  
"Do you like it son?" He asked.  
  
"Yea thanks!" I said.  
  
I opened mothers gifts next. She had given me new dress robes and an owl.  
  
"It is so you will write more often" She said grinning as the I stroked the grey owl.   
  
The rest of the gifts weren't as interesting. I went back upstairs afterwards after getting Dobby the House elf to bring my presents to me room. I brought Owl up with me (Yea I am not creative on names.) and decided to write Mrs Weasley back thanking her for the sweater and the fudge.  
  
People started to arrive for the annual Malfoy Christmas party. Father told me I had to stick around for dinner but afterwards I could stay upstairs in my room if I wanted. Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Millicent and a bunch of other people under fifteen had to sit at the 'kids' table while the adults ate at the 'adult' table. I ignored the others as well as I could. Dinner lasted an hour and when the hour was over I was glad. Crabbe and Goyle eat like pigs and it was very disgusting. Father finally nodded at me that I could go.  
  
Owl was in my room back with a letter from Mrs Weasley.  
  
"iYou are very welcome dear. I am glad you have become friends with Ron and I hope to meet you sometime. You sound like a very nice young man.  
  
-Molly Weasley./i  
  
I set the letter aside than I opened my Quidditch set and took out the Snitch, I let it fly around the room a couple of times than tried catching it. When I had let it go and caught it for the fifth time a voice behind me said.  
  
"Good catch."  
  
I turned and saw Pansy standing in my door way smiling, she came in than shut the door behind her.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked sitting on my bed. I let the snitch go and it started flying around the room again.  
  
"Just to talk to you." She said walking over and sitting beside me on the bed.  
  
"Get out."   
  
"Not until you hear me out Draco, you need to know what is going on."  
  
"I need you to get out."  
  
"Draco, I didn't mean any of the things I said to you. It was an act, all the Slytherins when they saw you get into Gryffindor... well they weren't impressed. It is like you are turning your back on us all."  
  
"I didn't choose to be in Gryffindor, the hat put me there Pansy. How am I turning my back on all of you. It seems to be all of you did when you wouldn't even talk to me."  
  
"Well it is like you don't want anything to do with your old friends anymore. I mean Crabbe and Goyle know you don't want to be a Death Eater, they know all about it. Did you know that?"  
  
"Yea since I was the one who told them." I said not understanding what her point was.  
  
"So when you were sorted into Gryffindor they told everyone. So that is why everyone is calling you a traitor because you don't want anything thing to do with You-know-who or the dark arts. They think you decided to be in Gryffindor because of that reason they don't think it was an accident."  
  
"Neither do I, I am glad to be in Gryffindor now. That doesn't explain why you did it though."   
  
"I had to. I didn't want people to think I supported the traitor, I was upset we weren't in the same house but I was proud of you at the same time. It meant you were serious about not joining forces if You-know-who returned. Remember we both promised when we were eight we wouldn't be involved? Well now I know for sure you'll keep the promise. I still want to be your friend you know."  
  
"Get out." I said again.  
  
"But Draco..."  
  
"No Pansy, you wrecked your chance of being my friend. You didn't have to put on that little act. you are not going to make my life a living hell at school and still expect to be my friend outside of it."  
  
"I'm sorry Draco but what could I have done. I didn't want to lose any of my friends by talking to you." Pansy said crying now.  
  
"You just did. NOW GET OUT!" I yelled.  
  
"I am always going to love you no matter what Draco. Don't forget that." She said tears streaming down her face as she left. She slammed the door behind her.   
  
I was so angry I didn't know what to do. All I could keep thinking was iThe nerve of her/i I grabbed a glass ball she had sent me a couple years ago off my dresser and through it against the wall hard. I laughed as it smashed into tiny bits and blue liquid started to come out. The blue liquid looked as though it was eating the carpet but I didn't care. I flopped onto be bed and watch the Snitch float around the room. I had missed Pansy at first but now she just made me angry. As if the only reason she was mean just so people would like her. I ignored the little voice in my head telling me I had done the very same thing.  
  
Please read and review. 


	6. The philosophers stone

The Christmas holidays went by very quick. Before I knew it, I was on the train back to Hogwarts. Hermione and I managed to find a compartment to ourselves this time.  
  
p  
  
"So did you find anything on Flamel?" She asked me.  
  
p  
  
"No. The library in the manor doesn't have research books like that." I answered.  
  
p  
  
Truth be told I never actually looked, but it was probably true. That library was mostly full of books on the dark arts. I had actually forgot all about Nicholas Flamel though.  
  
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"Harry and Ron probably didn't even look at all." Hermione said looking disappointed. "I tried the muggle library but of course there was nothing there."  
  
p  
  
"So how were you holiday?" I asked changing the subject.  
  
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"They were quite fun. I saw my cousin that I haven't seen in a long time. We spent practically every day together. The first day together we . . . "  
  
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Hermione went on and I stopped listening. I was thinking about my holidays, and the presents I bought for Hermione, Ron and Harry when it hit me. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.  
  
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"Of course I had to laugh to when she thought it was funny that people actually thought witches existed, I wanted to tell her so badly but I couldn't, so I started to . . . "  
  
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"Hermione." I said interrupting her. "Did you get the present I sent you?"  
  
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"Yea, I sent you a thank you note with your Owl, didn't you get it?"  
  
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"Um, yea . . . but uh have you used it for anything at all?"  
  
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"A little bit, I didn't have much time though. I was asking it fun questions about muggles to see if it knew. Can you believe it did? I was going to ask about our world but I couldn't think of any-of any- oh my god Draco! Why didn't I think of it? Nicholas Flamel!" Hermione exclaimed.  
  
p  
  
"Exactly. I just thought about it now. I have one myself and I didn't even think about asking it either." Not wanting to add I had actually forgotten all about him.  
  
p  
  
"Well we will check it when we get back to school, so that Harry and Ron can see too." Hermione said.  
  
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I sat back and shook my head. Hermione hadn't even thought about it either, I would have thought that would be the first question she asked it. When I had got home, I had stuck mine in my school trunk and didn't even think about it.  
  
p  
  
"I was very busy these holidays and I was with my cousin every day. No one in my family except my parents know that I am a witch." Hermione was saying. Obviously trying to make up an excuse for why she didn't think of Nicholas Flamel either.  
  
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We found Ron and Harry in the common room playing wizards chess. They didn't even look up when Hermione and I came in.  
  
p  
  
"So did you two find anything on Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione asked sitting on the floor with them.  
  
p  
  
"No, but guess what? Harry got an invisibility cloak for Christmas!" Ron said excitedly.  
  
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"Really?" I asked now interested. I sat down on the floor with the others.  
  
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"Yea I just don't know who sent it. It was once my dads." Harry said.  
  
p  
  
"Well anyway . . . " Hermione started to say.  
  
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"Have you used it much?" I asked.  
  
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Harry nodded and started on a story about how he decided to use the cloak after curfew to try and find out who Nicholas Flamel was in the restricted section of the library. He ended up finding a screaming book which brought Filch the caretaker into the library, Harry quickly slipped on the invisibility cloak and got out of there. He almost ended up bumping into Snape and Filch but found a classroom and hid inside of it. He found a really strange mirror in that classroom.  
  
p  
  
"It showed me as head boy and Quidditch Captain!" Ron said.  
  
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"Does it show the future?" I asked curiously wanting to find the mirror myself.  
  
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"No it shows your hearts greatest desire." Harry said.  
  
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"What did you see?"  
  
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"My family." Harry mumbled.  
  
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Everyone sat quietly for a few minutes unsure of what to say to that.  
  
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"So you two were wandering around after hours than?" Hermione asked sternly breaking the silence.  
  
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Harry and Ron both nodded not looking the least bit ashamed.  
  
p  
  
"And you two didn't find anything on Flamel. Well that is ok, Draco and I found a way to do it."   
  
p  
  
"How?" Harry asked.  
  
p  
  
"With this!" Hermione said pulling the book out of her robes.  
  
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"The all knowing book." Ron read aloud. "Did you write it Hermione?"  
  
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Hermione shot him a look than opened the book carefully.  
  
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"All we have to do is say his name and it will tell us everything we need to know. Nicholas Flamel." She said.  
  
p  
  
-------------- Copied from the book.  
  
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"Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosophers stone. He is . . . "  
  
p  
  
--------------  
  
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"What's a philosophers stone?" I asked.  
  
p  
  
"Well lets see." She said sounding irritated that I interrupted her from reading. She closed the book and opened it again.  
  
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"Philosophers stone." She said than handed the book to me.  
  
p  
  
-------------Copied from the book.  
  
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"The recent study of alchemy is concerned with making the philosophers stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into gold. It also produces the Elixir of life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the philosophers stone over the centuries but the only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera-lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty fifth birthday last year enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle. (Six hundred and fifty eight.)" I read a loud.  
  
p  
  
"See? The dog must be guarding Flamels Philosophers stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they are friends and he knew someone was after it. That's why he wanted the stone moved out of Gringotts!" Hermione said instantly.  
  
p  
  
"A stone that makes gold and stops your from dying!" Harry said. "No wonder Snapes after it! Anyone would want it."  
  
p  
  
"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that study of Recent Developments in Wizardry." Said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five."  
  
p  
  
--------------  
  
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"I wouldn't want it." I announced  
  
p  
  
"Why not? Are you crazy?" Ron asked.  
  
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"Maybe. It is hard to say. You tell me. I wouldn't want it though because I don't want to live forever. The gold part sounds great but..."  
  
p  
  
"Like you need it." Ron interrupted.  
  
p  
  
"But I wouldn't want to be alive forever." I finished ignoring him.  
  
p  
  
"Good point." Harry said. "Snape must be very desperate to get at it though." He added.  
  
p  
  
The four of us looked at each other. Very desperate to kill a little first year. 


	7. Talking to Pansy

A few days later Ron, Hermione and I were in the common room bored. I was thinking about just going and getting my supplies to do my potions essay, I didn't have anything better to do anyways. 

"Let play chess Draco." Ron said getting fed up with just sitting around doing nothing. 

"Play Hermione, I'm going to work on that potions essay." I answered. 

I got up from the chair I was sitting in and I went up to the boys dormitory to get the supplies I needed. Owl was on my bed with a letter. I couldn't think of who would be writing to me. I knew it wouldn't be my parents, I hadn't sent them any letters lately. I was guessing it was someone from Hogwarts but I couldn't think of who it would be, not many people outside of Gryffindor liked me too much. I took the letter from Owl and noticed that it was from Pansy. 

"Well what could she want?" I asked out loud. 

I opened the letter, Pansy had very neat hand writing it almost reminded me of Hermione. 

_Dear Draco. _

The Slytherins are planning to do something to you at the next Quidditch match. I'm not entirely sure what, as Crabbe and Goyle were the ones who told me and you know how those two are like. 

Anyway, I just wanted to warn you. So you might be safe to either just not go. If you want to go then just watch out. If I find out what they are planning on doing I will write to you as soon as I can. 

-Love Pansy. 

I read the letter over a couple of times not understanding why she was telling me this. I hadn't been exactly nice to her at Christmas. I stuffed the letter into my robes pocket and continued to gather supplies to work on my potions essay. Back in the common room Harry had returned from Quidditch practice and he looked upset. Hermione and Ron looked very concerned. 

What is going on?" I asked sitting down beside Hermione. 

"Snape is refereeing the next Quidditch match." Harry mumbled. 

That was not a good thing at all. 

"Oh." Was all I said, all I could really think of to say. 

"Look at what Pansy sent me." I said trying to change the subject so the others wouldn't look so worried. Hermione took the letter from me and began reading it. 

"Why is she warning you though? I thought she hated you." Hermione said in a confused voice. 

"Let me see." Ron said, grabbing the letter. 

"She never did..." and I told them all about the night when she had begged for my forgiveness. 

"Well she must really want to be your friend than Draco, You should forgive her." Hermione said. 

"What!?" Ron and I both yelped. 

"How do you know it isn't a trick? What if that is the plan, maybe they are planning on attacking him where no one is around? Maybe they want to ambush him." Ron said. 

"I highly doubt... where would they be planning on ambushing him exactly Ron?" Hermione said. "No I really think she wants to be friends again Draco." 

"So I am suppose to welcome her back in open arms. I don't think so Hermione. You do know what she has put me through." 

"She is only trying to impress the Slytherins, and I as I recall you did the same thing." Hermione answered. 

"Ok, so suppose I do talk to her again. We will only be friends in secret, other times she'll still be a little brat." 

"Well it is up to you Draco. Only you can do the right thing," 

"And the right thing is talking to Pansy again?" I asked. 

Ron and Hermione began playing chess again (Which Hermione was doing terribly at.) 

"I am going to play anyway." Harry said referring back to Quidditch, "If I don't the Slytherins will only think I am too scared to play." 

I really wasn't paying attention to him though. I was trying to decide if I should talk to Pansy again, finally I grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote: 

_Pansy. _

Thanks for the warning,   
Look maybe we should talk. Meet me outside the great hall during the Quidditch match. 

-Draco. 

"I still think it is a trick, but fine don't listen to me. No one ever does." Ron said in a dark voice. 

I went back up to the common room where Owl was still, I tied the letter around Owls leg and whispered, "Find Pansy for me." 

Owl took off into flight out the window, I watched her until she had turned right and was gone. 

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"Becareful." I told Harry at the breakfast table as he got up to go to the Quidditch match, He still looked very nervous about playing while Snape was referreeing but his Gryffindor instincts had kicked in and he wanted to play anyway. No matter what. A few minutes later, Hermione Ron and I left with the rest of the crowd to go to the stands. Except me of course, I was going to wait outside the great hall for Pansy. 

"Good luck." Hermione whispered as her and Ron left me. 

I leaned against the wall outside the door way and watched the students file out, Several of the Slytherin first and second years were smirking at me. I smiled back at each and everyone of them, which made a couple frown. When the last of the students had passed Pansy finally turned up. 

"Come on." I told her, leading the way down and empty corridor. 

"Where are we going?" She asked voice shaking. 

"An empty classroom." 

We walked until we found a classroom that was rarely ever used. Pansy scrunched her nose up from all the dust making her look like a pug. We sat at a table and faced each other. 

"So what do you want to talk about?" She asked nervously. 

"About what has been going on lately." I said. "So you still want to be my friend?" 

"Yes, oh Draco I feel so bad about how I have had to treat you Draco." She said in a soft voice. 

"Well I am willing to be your friend under one circumstance." I answered. 

"What is that?" She had perked up at this. 

"You can't act like how you have been. If we are friends you act like it. Even in front of the Slytherins." 

"The Slytherins won't be my friends than." Pansy whimpered. 

"I won't be your friend than." I answered. 

Pansy started to cry. "This is just not fair Draco. You are putting me in a bad situation." 

"I'm not sorry." I said. I stood up and walked away. At the door I turned and looked back at her, she was crying harder now. 

"Maybe in time you'll make the right decision. Until then have a nice life." Then I left. 

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I went back to the common room and began catching up on some homework. I had to practice transfiguration and work on a History of Magic essay. I chose transfiguration. I had to practice turning a muggle pencil into a worm. so far I only had it wiggling but it still looked like a pencil. 

A bunch of the Gryffindor came in excitedly talking after awhile, Hermione, Ron and Harry were no where in sight but from what I coukd hear Gryffindor had won. Which meant we were close to winning the Quidditch cup. We just needed to win the last game and that didn't take place until some time in June. 

After awhile Ron, Hermione and Harry came in talking seriously. Automatically I wondered what Snape had done to Harry. 

"What's up?" I asked when they had sat around me. 

"I saw Snape threatening Quirrel in the forest. I think Quirrel knows how to get past Fluffy and Snape is trying to get it out of him." Harry answered in a dull voice. 

"Quirrel won't tell him though?" I asked. 

Not yet, but it is only a matter of time. You know how Quirrel is like. He will slip." Ron muttered. 

"How did it go with Pansy?" Hermione asked me. 

"Terrible." I said. I told them what had happened then I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Was it possible for an eleven year old to have so mcuh stress, what this all part of growing up? 

Authors note: I have got all the chapters written up, I just have to type them now. My word perfect isn't working so I had to use word pad. I'll try and fix any spelling errors if there are any as soon as I can.   
Hope you enjoy. I think there are about five chapters left and I have started on Chapter one for the second book. I am trying to make this one as different as I can. This story was way too similar to the philosophers stone. I didn't want that when I started writing this because if Draco is in Gryffindor then a lot will be different.   
Read and review 


	8. The Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Philosophers stone it is all J.Ks and a lot of the wording in this chapter is from the book. Also the next few chapters it will be like that as well. 

"I'm not studying for the exams now Hermione." I said. 

"The exams are ten weeks away! You have to!" 

"No I don't. It is best to wait until the last minute to study. I always do and I have never failed. The marks are usually decent." I answered. 

"You have never taken an exam though! The exams are a lot different from tests." 

"So then why do you nag me to study for tests?" I asked just to annoy her. 

"Because tests are important, just not as important as exams." Her voice was high and shrill. She seemed to be panicking. 

"Yea well I agree with Draco." Ron said slamming is book shut. "The exams are ages away." 

"You two do realize we need to pass these exams to get into second year don't you?" 

"Yes Hermione." We both chorused. I winked at her. 

"Argh!" She said. 

"Hagrid what are you doing in the library?" Ron asked suddenly. 

I looked up to see Hagrid hiding something behind his back. 

"Er... hi you four what are you up to?" Hagrid asked. "Not sill looking for Nicholas Flamel are you?" 

"No. We found out who he was ages ago. We know what that dog is guarding. It's a Philoso-" 

"SHHHH!" Hagrid said and I punched Ron in the arm hard. 

"Ow!" He yelled glaring at me. 

"Listen - come and see me later, I'm not promising I'll tell yeh anything, mind, but don't go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren't supposed to know. They'll think I've told you" 

"See you later then." Harry said. 

"Why the hell did you hit me for?" Ron asked me glaring. 

"Because as Hagrid said, students aren't supposed to know about that stone. You can't be yelling about it in the library you doofus. Are you dense?" 

"What was Hagrid hiding behind his back?" Harry asked. 

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" Harry asked. 

"I'll check what section he was in." Ron said still rubbing his arm. 

"I didn't hit him that hard." I muttered. "I'd hate to see him get hit by a bludger or something." 

"Ron came back a feel minutes later with his arms full of books about dragons. 

"Why is he looking up Dragons?" Harry asked. 

"Maybe he has one!" I joked. 

"I wouldn't put it past him. When he took me to Diagon Alley he said he had always wanted one." Harry answered in a grim voice. 

The four of us looked at each other. If he was looking up Dragons and he had always wanted one than chances are he most likely had one. If he did he would he would be pretty stupid to bring one to a school. He would be fired. 

"But it's against our laws," Ron said in a reassuring voice. "Dragon-breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles, noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons. It's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania." 

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" Harry asked. 

"Yes there are." I said. "They are just well hidden, they have to be so the muggles don't find out. Which would be why you wouldn't know." 

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Later on Ron, Hermione, Harry and I walked out to Hagrids. We had two things on our minds now. The stone and dragons. There was a lot of mud out on the grounds since the snow had finally melted. When we reached Hagrids hut, Harry knocked on the door. 

"Who is it?" 

"It's us" 

Hagrid opened the door quickly to us in then shut it as soon as we were inside. He seemed awfully tense which made me believe even more that he was up to something. He offered around some stoat sandwiches and tea. I took the tea but refused the sandwiches and the others did the same. 

"So you wanted to ask me something?" 

"Yes, we were wondering if you could tell us what is guarding the Philosophers stone a part from Fluffy." Harry said. 

_I doubt that_ I thought to myself. What a stupid way to bring it up. 

"Of course I can't. Number one, I don't know myself. Number two, you know too much already, so I wouldn't tell you if I could. That Stone's here for a good reason. It was almost stolen out of Gringotts - I suppose you've worked that out and all? Beats me how you even know about Fluffy." 

I looked away to hide my smile. Poor Hagrid, he was just trying to do his job and he had a bunch of first years figuring out something they shouldn't know about. Hermione frowned at me then looked at Hagrid and said: 

"We only wondered who had done the guarding really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him a part from you." Hermione said. 

Hagrid was trying to hide his smile under his big beird. Anyone Dumbledore trusted was someone anyone could trust. Which meant it was a honour if Dumbledore trusted you. Ron and Harry was beaming at Hermione. 

"Well, I don't suppose it could hurt to tell you that let's see he borrowed Fluffy from me then some of the teachers did enchantments . Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall - Professor Quirrell - and Dumbledore himself did something of course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape." 

"Snape?" Harry asked. 

"Yeah you're not still on about that are you? Look Snape helped protect the stone he is not about to steal it." Hagrid said. 

The four of us looked at each other. That meant Snape could find out what the other professors used to guard the stone and how to get past it. 

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you? And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?" Harry asked in a hopeful voice. 

"Only Dumbledore and I know." Hagrid answered. 

I relaxed, so the stone was still safe anyway. We still had to worry about Quirrel telling Snape though, but so far it was safe and we didn't need to worry about it. 

"Hagrid can't we have a wondow open? I'm boiling." Harry asked 

"Yea really. A person could catch their death in here. It isn't that cold outside you know." I answered. 

"Sorry I can't." 

"Aren't you hot?" I asked. He was a lot bigger then us and one would think he would be a lot hotter then we would be. 

"Where did you get it, Hagrid? It must have cost you a fortune." Ron asked. 

I looked where Ron was looking and saw that something black was sitting in flames. _What on earth... Oh my is that is a Dragons egg?_ I thought to myself. 

"I didn't want to think it was true..." I said. 

"Won it last night. I was down in the village having some drinks and I got into a game of cards with a stranger. I Think he was quite glad to get rid of it to be honest." 

"Do you blame him? You do realize Dracons are dangerous Hagrid." I said. 

"But what are you going to do with it when it is hatched?" Hermione asked. 

"Well I've been doing some reading." Hagrid said He pulled out a book from under his pillow. 

"Got this out of the library- Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit out of date, of course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on them, see, and when it hatches, feed it on a bucket of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. And see here how to recognise different eggs - what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them." 

Hagrid looked very pleased with himself. I shook my head, he could expect to keep that thing. I couldn't believe he didn't realize that. 

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"He can't keep it." I said once back in the common room. We wre sitting in our usual spot, the spot where the four of had all beome friends. 

"He's mental." Ron said. 

"Yea well we have to talk him out of keeping that dragon. Maybe you should write to Charlie and see what we should do Ron." I said. 

"I hope Hagrid knows what he is doing." Hermione said in a worried voice. 

"He can't keep it." I repeated. 

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A few days later we were eating a breakfast when Harry got a letter from Hagrid. 

_"It's hatching."_

Ron and I wanted to go right away to see Hagrid but Hermione insisted on going to Herbology. As soon as Herbology was over we raced over to Hagrids hut. After all how many times will you get to see a dragon hatch from an egg? The egg had cracks all over it when we got there. Hagrid was extremely excited and he wouldn't listen to me when I told him that he couldn't keep it. He named the dragon Norbert. _Where does he come up with these names?_ I wondered. 

"Hagrid how big do Norwegian Ridgebacks get exactly?" Hermione asked. 

Authors note: This chapter was longer but then I decided to break it down. 

Read and review. 


	9. Getting caught

We visited Hagrid daily to try and help him, a lot of the time we were trying to convince him that he needed to set Norbert free. I had suggested to Ron several times that he should write to Charlie, but we weren't sure what Hagrid would say. So the one night when we were at Hagrids Hermione suggested it. 

"Hagrid, the four of us have been talking and we think that we have a way for you to set Norbert free." 

"I can't set him free, he is only a baby." 

"My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania. I could write him and he could take care of Norbert." Ron suggested. 

Hagrid sighed and tears came to his eyes. I never thought I would ever see that big man cry. In fact I have never seen a man cry, but Hagrid was blubbering like a baby. 

"All right then." He sighed. 

The next following week we waited for Charlie response, it seemed to go very slowly. Hermione was also fussing for us to study for the exams she had made us revision time tables to follow by. I think mine was some where up in the boys dormitory. I had glanced at it once and then threw it somewhere in the dormitory, I had my own plan for studying. Wait until the last minute. One night Harry, Hermione and I were in the common room both Hermione and Harry were just staring off into space. I was practising levitating a cushion just for the fun of it. I had it spinning a bit when the portrait door burst open and Ron appeared out of no where. He had been visiting Hagrid and the Dragon had bit him. His hand was covered in a bloody handkerchief. I started to laugh. 

"It isn't funny Draco." Ron said through gritted teeth. 

"Maybe not for you." I said. 

"I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragons the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby." 

"Well Hagrid did name that dog thing Fluffy." I replied still laughing at Ron. 

We heard a tap on the window and realized it was Hedwig with Chalies answer. Harry sprinted over to the window and pulled the letter off of Hedwigs leg and returned back to us. 

We all leaned close to read what Charlie had written hoping that it would say he could take Norbert. 

_Dear Ron,   
How are you? Thanks for the letter - I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up that tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.   
Send me an answer as soon as possible.   
Love Charlie_

"Well the invisibility cloak should cover both us and Norbert." Harry said. 

We went to bed afterwards thinking about the impossible task that lay ahead. 

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The next morning we found that Rons hand that was bitten had swollen to twice its size. Ron went to classes all morning but by the of the afternoon we shipped him down to the hospital wing. His hand was starting to get a really funky smell to it and it had turned green. 

"Well I guess Ron is out to get rid of Norbert." I said as we went to visit him after classes. 

"So who is going to go then?" Hermione asked. 

"I think it should be Harry and I." I answered. 

"I don't know.. Draco you talk to much whenever we go out. I was thinking it should be Hermione and I." Harry answered. 

"Why don't I be a look out. I know a spell that can warn you. If that night we all put our wands together and say 'lingimiuser" together it will work. If I see danger close to where you two are then I say any spell like 'lumos' then your wand will light up, or if I say 'wingardium leviosa' then your wand will make something levitate. Get it?" I said 

"I get it, but what if you get caught?" Hermione asked. 

"They'll just be catching me wandering the halls at night. I am only a first year so most likely I will only get a detention and a few points taken away. Nothing compared to what will happen if you are caught." 

Hermione bit her lip and didn't say anything for a few minutes, then she turned to Harry and said. "What do you say?" 

"Can we practise that spell?" Harry asked me. "Just to be sure it is right." 

"Well yea I guess we better." I said. 

We had reached the hospital wing by then. We found Ron inside agitated, it seemed he had told Madame Pomfrey that a dog had bit him but she didn't believe him. 

"Why didn't you just say it was a snake or something?" I asked. "That would be a lot more believeable. Does this imaginary dog have poisonus fangs Ron? Could it be the saliva." 

"Shut up." Ron muttered. 

Harry told Ron the plan for Saturday night. He was amazed by the warning spell. Apparently first years are't suppose to know it. He said that isn't until sixth year that they teach it. 

For the rest of the week we practised the warning spell. We decided on Lumos as the warning. We practised with Harry under the cloak to make sure that the light didn't shine through it. We were greatful that it didn't. Finally Saturday night came and we were prepared. Hermione wanted me to wait a few minutes to leave after they did so it wouldn't seem suspicious. So there I was alone in the common room after everyone had gone to bed waiting for my wand to light up so that I knew I could leave. 

"Hi Draco." A voice said. 

"Oh Neville what are you doing?" I asked. This wasn't good, he couldn't see me leaving. I had to think of a plan quick. 

"I couldn't sleep, so I just came down to see if anyone was still up." 

"Oh. Well I was just about to visit Ron in the hospital wing." I answered. 

'Can I come? It is too late though isn't it?" 

"Yes it is, but I don't mind being caught Neville. You had better stay here." I answered panicking. My wand lit up at that moment. 

"I don't mind either." Neville said. "I want to come." 

"Nox. Ok, but if we get caught don't blame me." I said 

We left the common room together and headed towards the astonomy tower. I heard foot steps and pulled Neville against the wall in case it was a teacher. The footsteps seemed to be in front of us but I couldn't see anything. Suddenly Harrys head appeared out of no where. 

"What is Neville doing with you?" He asked angrily. 

"He wanted to come, look I'll explain later. Just go." I said just as angrily about the fact that he would show himself like that. 

"What are you two up too? How did Harry do that?" Neville asked. 

"Shh." I whispered. We crept after them slowly, I was about to go sit on the stairs leading to the astronomy tower so that when they returned I could slip under the cloak with them when I heard a voice. 

"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Longbottom! What are you doing!?" 

I turned slowly to see Professor McGonagall standing behind us. 

"We-we were going to the hospital wing." Neville said is a small voice. 

"You are no where near the hospital wing. It looks to me as though you were going up the astronomy tower. Follow me." Professor McGonagall. 

"Good cover up." I whispered sarcastically to Neville. "This is why I didn't want you to come!" 

"What were you really-" 

"Be quiet you two!" Professor McGonagall snapped. 

"Lumos, Nox, Lumos, Nox." I whispered. That was the signal if one of were caught. We would light the wands up then turn them back off again. 

"In." Professor McGonagall said opening a door. It looked like a study. I was guessing it was hers. Teachers were lucky to have their own rooms. I wish I did. "Mr. Malfoy, why were you going that?" She asked. 

"It has been malfunctioning." I said. 

"I see. So I am curious. What were two first year students doing out of bed. Why were they headed up to the astronomy tower." 

"To look at the stars. My Astronomy homework isn't done yet and we had to fill out a chart, so I was going up there to do that. Neville was with me so I could help him." 

"Without your telescopes?" 

"I didn't need one for the particular star. I just needed to be up close." I answered. I had a piece of blank parchment in my pocket, I pulled it out. "Would you like to see it?" I asked. Hoping she would say no. 

"Well... no that is quite all right Mr. Malfoy. Why don't you two go off to your common room and..." 

There was a knock on the door. Professor McGonagall walked back to the door and opened it. Mr. Filch appeared at the doorway. 

"I found these two coming back down from the astronomy tower." Mr. Filch said in a nasty gleeful voice. Hermione and Harry appeared from behind him. 

"Well, well, well. Why don't you two come in. Thank you Mr. Filch." Professor McGonagall said. 

When he had gone I made to move towards the door with Neville but Professor McGonagall stopped me. "No Mr. Malfoy. Sit down all four of you." 

The four of us sat down on a couch while Professor McGonagall sat in an armchair in front of us. 

"So, Mr. Malfoy were these two part of your homework group?" She asked. I didn't say anything I stared at the floor lost for words. 

"I think I know what is going on here. Mr. Malfoy, your wand really wasn't malfunctioning when you were turning it on and off was it. No you four were doing something up the astronomy tower and you seem to know the warning spell. You warned them I was coming." 

Again no one said anything, and I felt bad that Neville had been involved. I knew I should have just told him he couldn't come, or told him some other lie. 

"I am curious to know what you were going to do up there. Can anyone tell me?" 

I opened my mouth to say it was for the homework but I didn't think she would buy it this time. I was wondering why Harry and Hermione weren't wearing the cloak. 

"I see... you aren't going to tell me. Well that is fine, I don't need to know. What I do know is you four will be serving detention and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor." 

"Fifty?" Harry asked in a disbelieving voice. 

"Fifty points each. Now go back to your common room." She said. 

"How did you two get caught!?" I asked once we had got far enough away. 

"We forgot the cloak. Why was Neville with you?" Hermione asked. 

"You forgot the cloak! How stupid can you get? How could you forget it?" I asked almost yelling. 

"Shh. Why was Neville with you Draco. He wasn't supposed to know." Hermione said angrily. Neville was sobbing behind us. 

"He doesn't. I told him I was going to the hospital wing. He decided to come with me. If you two hadn't forgot that cloak we could have all gotten away with it. When she was talking to me I told her I was helping Neville with astronomy. She believed me, she was about to let me go but you two had been caught." 

"I am so mad at you for getting Neville involved Draco!" Hermione said. 

I wasn't worried about that, she would forgive me I was worried about the Gryffindors reaction to when they see that two hundred points were lost in one night. I hoped that they wouldn't find out who had done it. I also felt terrible for Neville, he didn't understand what was going on and now he had just got a detention and lost fifty points for Gryffindor for wanting to keep me company. 

Authors note: Just four chapters left. I am hoping I will get a better response with the next series. I already have three chapters done for part two. I wasn't going to have Neville involved but then I thought about it, it seemed like a better idea to have him involved.   
So please read and review. 


	10. Detention

Hermione wasn't talking to me the next morning. Harry looked grouchy and Neville was pale and sleepy. When we had got back to the Dormitory, I didn't even bother to sleep. I sat in bed thinking about how stupid I had been. Why didn't I just tell Neville off for wanting to come? Neville was sobbing into his pillow and I could hear Harry tossing and turning. Dawn approached very quickly, I went back down to the Dormitory from a sleepless night and began to work on my transfiguration essay. I hoped if I made a good effort on it maybe Professor McGonagall would offer Gryffindor some points. Hermione came down a little bit later and sat beside me but didn't say anything. She looked as though she too had a sleepless night. When Harry came down we went down to the Great Hall. Hermione began chatting up a storm with Harry which obviously meant she was still mad at me. The talk at the table that morning was the fact that somehow Gryffndor had lost two hundred points in one night. By the end of the day word had got around about what happened. I heard a fifth year talking to her friend about it. 

"Yea... it was. Famous Harry Potter and a few of his friends. All stupid little first years. I heard that one of the first years was Draco Malfoy, that boy who is suppose to be in Slytherin house. He probably wanted Gryffindor to lose so Slytherin could win, the little brat." 

Harry was getting the worst treatment out of the four of us but I was also getting attacked. Hermione and Neville wasn't getting it as bad. I often heard people calling me the little Slytherin traitor from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The Slytherins however were telling me they knew that I had it in me. If it had been the beginning on the school year I would be delighted to hear those words but now they disgusted me. Harry who was getting it really bad even went as far as resigning from the Quidditch team but the team captain Oliver Wood wouldn't let him. Apparently no one on the team was talking to him. Ron tried to cheer us up by saying that Fred and George had lost loads of points before, but they had never lost as many as we had. 

The exams were drawing nearer and so Ron, Hermione, Harry and I spent all our time revising for them. Yes even me, I was sick of the remarks that the only way I could lose myself was by reading my notes and getting what I was missing from Hermione. I was also worried about my fathers reaction. Would he be proud that I had lost all those points for Gryffindor or would he be angry because I had got a detention and lost points for my house even though it wasn't Slytherin. I wasn't sure which option I would prefer. The one day I was alone in the common room studying (Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the library) when I noticed Neville sitting by the fire looking rather shaken up and pale. I got up from where I was to go see him. 

"Hey." I said when I reached him. 

"Oh hi." He mumbled sadly. 

"Listen Neville about that night we were caught I..." 

"Gran sent me a Howler." Neville said stiffly. 

"She did? When?" 

"I was up in the dormitory." He answered shaking his head sadly. 

"Look I am really sorry. See Harry and Hermione were doing something for Hagrid. I can't say what, but I was suppose to be the look out for them. If I knew a teacher was coming towards them then I would warn them with our wands. So I told you when I was going out that I was visiting Ron. I didn't know you would want to come, but I couldn't exactly stop you either." I told him. "You shouldn't have been involved, I should have made something else up..." 

"I wanted to come though Draco. I knew what I was doing." Neville said in a shaky voice. "It isn't your fault." 

"Well as long as you don't hate me." I answered. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Later Hermione, Ron and Harry came back looking worried. I hated when they looked worried especially now. They came straight over to me. 

"Quirrel gave in. He told Snape how to get past his enchantment." Hermione said right away. 

"So what are we going to do?" I asked. Ready for our next adventure. 

"We aren't going to do anything." Harry said. "As I said in the library, we have done enough." 

The next morning Neville, Harry, Hermione and I all got letters saying the same thing: 

_Your detention will take place at eleven O clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall. _

Prof. M. McGonagall. 

I crumpled up the letter and shoved it into my pocket. I didn't complain, I knew I deserved the detention. So at Eleven that night, we went down to the Entrance Hall where Filch was waiting. Filch led us outside holding a lamp. 

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" He said. "Oh yes... heard work and pain are the best reachers if you ask me... It's just a pity that they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days. I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right off we go, and don't think of running off now. it'll be worse for you if you do." 

I rolled my eyes at Filch. Very pathetic old man if you ask me. Neville kept sniffling and I felt guilty. He wouldn't have been there if it weren't for me. Filch led us straight over to Hagrid and I felt relief. Harry obviously did too because Filch looked at him and said: 

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again boy- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." 

Neville moaned and I stopped and stared at Filch. 

The forest?" I repeated. "We can't go in there at night- theres all sorts of things in there- werewolves I heard." 

I watched Neville grab the sleeve of Harrys robe and he made a choking noise. 

"That's you lookout isn't it?" Filch asked. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?" 

Hagrid walked over to us with a largr cross bow and his dog fang at his side. 

"About time." He said. "I been waiting for a half an hour later already. All right, Harry, Hermione, Draco?" 

"I shouldn't be too friendly with them, Hagrid." Filch said. "They're here to be punished after all." 

"That's why your late is it?" Said Hagrid. "Been lecturing them eh? S'not your place to do that; you've done your bit, I'll take over from here." 

"I'll be back at dawn for what's left of them." Filch said turning back towards the castle. I stared after him wishing I was going with him. I didn't want to go into that forest. 

"Right then." Hagrid said. "Now listen carefully because it's dangerous what we're going to do tonight and I don't want no one taking risks. Follow me over here a moment." 

He led us to the edge us to the edge of the forest, he held his lamp up high and pointed out a narrow winding earth track that disappeared through the trees. 

"Look here." Said Hagrid. "See that stuff shining on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. Theres a unicorn been hurt badly by something. This is the second time this week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're going to look for the poor things. We might have to put it out of it's misery." 

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" I asked in a shaky voice. 

"Theres nothing that lives in the forest that will hurt you if you're with me or Fang. Keep to the path. Right now, we're going to split into two parties and follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place it must've been staggaring around since last night at least." 

"I want Fang." I said looking at his teeth. 

"All right, I warn you. He's a coward." 

Hagrid split us into two teams, Hermione, Harry and Hagrid went left, Neville, Fang and I went left. I could tell Hagrid was right about Fang being a coward, everytime a twig snapped or the leaves rustled he would wimper. Neville was still sniffling loudly. We walked deeper into the forest and I began to wish that I hadn't asked for the job to be a look out. Although I felt bad for Neville being in detention I liked his company. I wondered if Hagrid would have taken Hermione and Harry and let me and Fang go on our own if Neville hadn't been there. I shuddered at that thought. Suddenly the snapping of twigs started to get louder and the leaves were starting to rustle faster behind us. It sounded like someone was running towards us. I grabbed Neville from behind him to get him to turn around and look with me but he shouted. 

"AAAAHHH HELP!" 

He sent up red sparks from his wand up into the air. That was the signal to let the others know if we were in danger. 

"Neville it's only me." I said trying to calm him down. He was now sobbing hard. 

"I-I heard something coming behind us then something grabbed me and-" 

"I heard it too. That is why I grabbed you. Is it just me but does it sound like something else is running towards us?" I asked. 

The new sound sounded like it was coming from the left. Neville grabbed on to me, he reminded me of a little kid. Now something was coming towards us from the left and from behind us. 

"What's wrong! What happened?" I sighed with relief as Hagrid burst through the trees from our left. 

"Draco grabbed me from behind and I thought..." 

"Follow me!" Hagrid said angrily. 

We wound our way through the trees until we reached Harry and Hermione who looked shaken up. 

"That oaf!" Hagrid said angrily pointing at me. "Thought it would be funny to grab Neville from behind and scare him!" 

"No I didn't!" I protested. "I heard something coming towards us and I grabbed Neville to see if he heard it too." 

"We'll be lucky to find anything now with all the racket you two were making. Right, we're changing groups, Neville you stay with me and Hermione. Harry you'll go with Draco and Fang." 

"You heard something coming towards you?" Harry asked me as we set off. 

"Yea, it sounded like something was running towards us from behind. Neville thought whatever it was had grabbed him." I answered. 

It was quiet now except for the occaisional snap of a twig coming from us or the wind blowing leaves. The blood seemed to be getting thicker now, Fang as if sensing something was whimpering a lot more now. 

"Look." Harry murmured holding out an arm to stop me. It was the unicorn, and it was dead. I stood staring at it not wanting to believe it was true. It seemed so sad to see it laying there. Unicorns were special creatures and killing one was a horrible crome. I couldn't imagine wanting to ever kill a unicorn. 

Suddenly out of no where a cloaked figure crawled out of the shadows towards the unicorn. I stood watching whatever is was. I wondered if that was what Neville and I had heard. The figure reached the unicorn and began drinking it's blood from a wound in the unicorns side. I couldn't watch it anymore I had to get out of there. 

"AAAAAAAARGH!" I yelled. I grabbed Harry's arm to get him to move but he wouldn't budge. He just stood watching it. 

"Come on you idiot move! Move!" I yelled. "Fine then! Get eaten!" 

I turned and ran away as fast I could go. I found Neville, Hermione and Hagrid when I ran across their path screaming. 

"Draco!" Hermione yelled. 

"Harry is going to get eaten!" I yelled. I started to run again but Hagrid grabbed my shoulders as if about to shake me. 

"Calm down. What is going on?" 

"We found the unicorn and theres a thing sucking it's blood. Harry wouldn't come." I yelled not wanting to calm down. 

"Where is he?" Hagrid asked. 

I pointed with a shaky finger in the direction I had just come from, Hagrid let me go and started to rush in the direction towards Harry. 

"Draco... are you ok?" Hermione asked putting her arm around my shoulders. 

"No, I'm not. I am going to have nightmares for the rest of my life." I said. "I am never ever coming back in here again. EVER!" I glanced back at Neville. "At least it wasn't him who was with me though." I whispered. 

"Theres harry!" Hermione said. 

She let go of me and ran towards him. He was sitting on a centaurs back. (Half horse, half man.) 

"Are you ok?" I asked Neville. "You look terrible." 

"I'm fine." He whispered. 

He seemed to be fascinated by the Centaur. Harry slid off the Centaurs back and it said something to him before it left. 

"You four take Fang and take this path and walk that way." Hagrid said pointing to his left. "It will lead you straight out of the forest. Go right to you common room." 

The four of us got back to the commom room and Neville went straight up to the dormitory while Harry, Hermione and I went to wake Ron who was sleeping in front of the fire place. Harry began to tell Hermione and Ron what we had seen and what had happened after I had left. He seemed to be more calm than I would have been. He started to pace and talk: 

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemorts waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..." 

"Stop saying that name." Ron said. 

Harry ignored him and kept on pacing. "Firenze saved me, but shouldn't have done... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show Voldemorts coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars too." 

"Will you stop saying that name." Ron hissed. 

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the stone." Harry went on ignoring Ron. "Then Voldemort will be happy to come finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy." 

"Harry, everyone says that Dumbledores the only one you-know-who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, you-know-who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune telling to me, and professor McGonagall says that's very imprise branch of magic." Hermione said obviously trying to comfort him. 

We kept talking until the sky outside was light. We finally decided to go to bed. Once in the dormitory I flopped in to the bed and fell asleep instantly. 


	11. The adventure begins

Exams came up quickly and thanks to Hermione for making me do all the revising I was actually prepared. I don't think I would have been so prepared if we hadn't been friends. For the written exams we had been given quills that were bewitched with an anti cheating charm. 

For the charms practical exams we were each called into Professor Flitwicks class to make a pineapple dance across the desk. I think I did fairly well although it tripped and fell a couple times. Professor McGonagall had us transfigure a mouse into a snuffbox. Mine looked pretty good except it had two whiskers still and points were taken away for that. Snape had made us make a forgetful potion. Since I am naturally good in potions I wasn't worried about that exam. Ron and Harry came out of it looking a bit pale and Neville looked as though he would burst into tears. Hermione did really but what was different about that? 

Our last exam was History of Magic. I didn't do as well on that exam because history never interested me and Professor Binns was a very boring teacher. Hermione was always insistent on going over the exam questions afterwards, so we either ignored her or we told her we didn't want to talk about the exams. 

We went to the lake and sat under a tree after the exam and watched Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins tickle a giant squid. Harry was rubbing his forehead. 

"I wish I knew what this means." He said. "My scar keeps hurting-it's happened before, but never as often as this." 

"Go to Madame Promfrey." Hermione suggested. 

"I'm not ill." Harry said. "I think it's a warning... It means dangers coming." 

I looked up at Harry from my postion on the ground. "If you think your scar is warning you, you should see Madame Promfrey." 

Ron laughed then said. "Harry, relax Hermione is right, the stone's safe as long as Dumbledore is around. Anyway we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try in a hurry, and Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." 

"That would be amusing, I would have to go to all his games." I said closing my eyes. The sun was making me very sleepy. 

"It feels like I forgot to do something." Harry said. 

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Hermione said. 

We sat silently for a few minutes, I felt extremely relaxed laying there on the grass with the sun on me. I opened my eyes to stare at the clouds moving around. Harry suddenly jumped to his feet. 

"Where are you going?" Ron asked. 

"I've just thought of something." Harry said. He looked very pale. I stood up stretching, "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now." 

"Why?" Hermione asked. 

"Don't you think it's a bit odd." Harry said hurrying up the grass slope. "That what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up with who just happens to have a egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law. Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?" 

"What are you on about?" Ron asked. 

Harry was now running towards the forest and didn't answer. We went straight over to Hagrid who was sitting outside in an armchair shelling peas into a large bowl with his sleeves rolled up. 

"Hello." He said, smiling. "Finished your exams? Got time for a drink?" 

"Yes please." Ron said. 

"Sure it is quite hot out here." I said realizing how thirsty I was. 

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?" 

"Dunno." Hagrid said. "He wouldn't take his cloak off." 

"Do you think that is a bit weird?" I asked. 

"It's not that unusual, you get a lot of funny folk in the Hog's head-that's the pub down in the village. Might have been a dragon dealer, I never saw his face he kept his hood up." 

"What did you talk to him about Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Harry asked. I noticed that the tone of his voice was starting to change, he sounded scared. 

"Might have come up." Hagrid said. "Yeah he asked what I did and I told him I was gamekeeper here. He asked a bit about the sort of creatures I look after. So I told him and I said I'd always wanted a dragon and then I can't remember too well because he kept buying me drinks. Let's see... yea, then he said he had the dragon egg and we could play cards for it if I wanted, but he had to be sure I could handle it. He didn't want it to go to any old home. So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..." 

Suddenly I could see where Harry was going with this. Then Harry asked: 

"And did he- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" 

"Well-yeah-how many three headed dogs do you meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece of cake if you know how to calm him down, just play him a bit of music and he'll go straight off to sleep-" Hagrid stopped suddenly looking horrified. " I shouldn't have told you that!" He blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey where are you going!?" 

We started to run to the castle I turned back and yelled. 

"Thanks Hagrid you are a lot of help!" 

We stopped at the entrance hall and agreed that we needed to find professor Dumbledore. The only problem was that we didn't know where his office was. 

"We'll just have to-" Harry started to say but a loud voice interrupted him. 

"What are you four doing inside?" 

Professor McGonagall was coming towards us carrying a pile of books. 

"We want to see professor Dumbledore." Hermione said. 

"See Professor Dumbledore? Why?" 

"It's sort of secret." Harry answered. 

"And urgent. He needs to know about this." I added knowing that Professor McGonagall wouldn't go for 'It's sort of secret.' 

"Well I am sorry to say he left ten minutes ago to go to London. The Ministry of Magic needs him and I'm sure it is more urgent then what you have to say." 

I usually liked Professor McGonagall but I didn't like her now. She was basically saying that what was urgent to a bunch of first years wouldn't matter to Professor Dumbledore. If she only knew... 

"This is really important Professor." Harry pleaded. 

"Maybe you can help." I added. "It's about the philosophers stone." 

Professor McGonagall dropped her books onto the floor apparently she hadn't expected something like that. 

"How do you know-" She sputtered. 

"Professor we know that someone is going to steal it." Harry interupted. "We need to tell Professor Dumbledore." 

"I have no idea how you children found out about that stone but it is well guarded. No one can steal that stone trust me. Professor Dumbledore will be back in the morning. So go on back outside." 

We turned and walked away. Professor McGonagall wasn't any help at all. None of us felt like going back outside. 

"It's tonight." Harry said at once. "Snapes going through that trap door tonight. He's found out everything he needs and now he has got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will be shocked when Dumbledore turns up." 

"But what can we-" 

Hermione suddenly gasped. Harry, Ron and I turned around, I felt like my heart had stopped. How much had Snape heard, if he had heard anything at all? 

"Good afternoon." He said. 

We stared up at him and by the smile on his face I had a feeling he had heard something. 

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this." He said. 

"We were-" Harry begain. 

"You want to be more careful." Snape said. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose anymore points, can they?" 

"You'll help us lose more points though won't you? You seem to like to do." I said. 

"Well Malfoy, you shouldn't even be involved with these three. I am sure that your father disapproves. Potter, anymore night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you." He walked off towards the staff room with a smirk on his face. 

"Right here's what we've go to do." Harry whispered. "One of us has got to keep and eye on Snape- wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione you'd better do that." 

"Why me?" She asked. 

"It's obvious, you can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick." Ron said, then he did a poor imitation of a Hermione. 

"Oh shut up!" Hermione snapped. "Fine, I'll wait for Flitwick." 

Ron, Harry and I decided to wait outside the third floor corridor but Professor McGonagall caught us. She lost her temper this time and threatened to take more points from Gryffindor if she caught us near the third floor corridor again. 

We went down to the common room. 

"What are we going to do now?" I asked. 

"Well Hermione is on Snapes tale, so we are safe." Harry said. 

But at that moment the portrait door burst opened and Hermione came in looked apologetic. 

"I'm sorry Harry!" She said sadly. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, So I said I was waiting for Flitwick and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away. I don't know where Snape went." 

"Well, we shouldn't worry." I said. "It is still early." 

"That doesn't matter." Harry said "Which means only one thing." 

"What?" Ron asked. 

"I'm going to try and get to the stone tonight before Snape does." 

"You're mad!" Ron shouted. 

"I think the exams have gotten to your head Harry. Just think about it for a minute." 

"You can't!" Hermione wailed. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled." 

"So what!?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand!? If Snape get's hold of that stone, Voldemort is coming back. Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the dark arts. Losing points doesn't matter anymore. Can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor win the house cup? If I get caught before I get to the stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I am never going to the dark side! I'm going through that trap door tonight and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents remember?" Harry glared at us. 

"You're right Harry." Hermione said. 

"I'll use the invisibilty cloak." Harry added. "It's just lucky I got it back." 

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron asked. 

"All-all four of us?" 

"Oh come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone." 

"Of course I should come." I answered. "You think that I want Voldemort to come back? Father _is_ a death eater you know and I know that father wants me to be part of that. He doesn't know that I am not becoming one and the longer Voldemorts gone, the longer I can wait before I have to tell him that I won't be." I said. 

"Besides. How do you expect to get the without us? I'll go look through my books to see if I can find anything useful." 

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled as well." Harry said. 

"Not if I can help it." Hermione said. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got one hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that." 

"We won't be caught. Unless we do something stupid like leave the cloak in the common room." I said. 

Harry actually laughed at that. 

Authors note: Only two chapters left. I am already on the fifth chapter for number two. 


	12. Saving the stone

After dinner we sat in our usual spot away from everyone else. We didn't have to worry about anyone bugging us really since all the Gryffindors we're still mad at us. I was going over spells in my head that I learned before I started school from father. I wondered if any of them would be useful. 

Hermione was going over her notes to see if she could find anything and Harry and Ron were just staring off into space. I watched the common room slowly start to empty, and finally Lee Jordan the last person, went up to his dormitory. I heard Ron telling Harry he should get the cloak and I snapped back to attention. As Harry ran up to our Dormitory, Hermione put her books away hands a bit shaky. 

"Stop being no nervous." I said breaking the silence. "We won't get caught." 

"I know we won't but..." Ron said. "What if we do and get expelled? It will only prove that all my brothers are better." 

"Oh Ron, you are just as good as your brothers." Hermione reassured him. 

Harry ran back down into the common room. 

"We'd better put the cloak on here and make sure it covers all four of us- if Filch spots one of our feet wandering around on it's own..." 

"What are you doing?" a voice asked out of no where. 

Neville stood up from behind an armchair holding his pathetic toad. It had obviously tried to escape again. 

"Nothing Neville, nothing." Harry said. 

He hid the cloak behind his back. 

"You're going out again." Neville said. 

"Well even if we were, which we aren't it shouldn't matter to you because you aren't coming." I said. "So you won't be caught." 

"If you four get caught Gryffindor will lose even more points and you'll be expelled. I don't want you expelled." 

"Neville, I know you care about us but this is important. You'll understand later. I promise." Hermione said. 

"No!" He shouted. He moved towards the portrait door so that he was blocking it. 

"Neville!" Ron yelled. "Move! Don't be an idiot!" 

"Don't call me an idiot! I don't think you should be breaking anymore rules. Now hit me, come on." Neville had his fists ready, his toad off away again. 

Hermione stepped forward. "Neville, I am really sorry about this." She raised her wand and pointed it at him. "Petrificus totalus!" She yelled. 

Nevilles arms snapped to his sides, his legs snapped together and he fell right on to his face. Hermione turned him over. He couldn't talk because his jaws were stuck together, he was looking up at us terrified. 

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered. 

"I didn't know you knew that curse!" I said admiredly. "Most people don't learn it until at least third year." 

"It's the full body-bind." Hermione said to Harry. "I do read a lot you know Draco. Oh Neville I am so sorry!" 

"We had to Neville, no time to explain." Harry said. 

"You'll understand later, Neville." Ron said. 

"We promise." I added. 

We pulled the cloak over ourselves, than left the Common room. It was really hard to walk, we had to try and walk at the same pace so that the cloak couldn't slip off. I didn't know if all four of us would have fit if we were taller. We saw Mrs. Norris, Filchs cat at the first set of steps. Ron wanted to kick her but we moved on. We didn't meet anyone else until going up to the third floor corridor. Peeves the poltergiest was floating around halfway up. 

"Who's there?" He asked as we climbed closer. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you a ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" 

I looked around at the others, even Hermione looked confused about what we should do. 

"Should call Filch, I should, if somethings a-creeping around unseen." 

Suddenly Harry said in a hoarse whisper. "Peeves, the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." 

"Brilliant." I whispered. 

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock, the Bloody Baron is the Slytherin ghost and only he can control peeves. 

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir." He said. "My mistake- I didn't see you- of course I didn't your invisible- forgive peevsie for his little joke, sir." 

"I have business here Peeves." Harry said. "Stay away from this place tonight." 

"I will sir, I most certainly will." Peeves said. He rose into the air. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." and he was gone. 

We finally got to the third floor corridor. The door was ajar, which meant that Snape had already got past Fluffy. 

"If you want to go back now, I won't blame you." Harry said. 

"You need us." I said. 

"Don't be stupid." Ron said. 

"We're coming." Hermione added. 

Harry pushed the door open and we could hear growling. The dog was sniffing the air with it's three noses, it could tell we were there even though it couldn't see us. We noticed that inside there was a harp. Harry pulled a flute from his pocket and began playing it. The dogs eyes started to droop. We slipped put of the cloak once it was asleep. We walked slowly towards the trapdoor. 

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open." Ron said peering over the dogs back. "Want to go first Hermione?" 

"No I don't!" She said in an indignant voice. 

"Just open the trapdoor. I really don't want to be around this thing anymore." I told Ron. 

Ron pulled the ring of the trapdoor, it swung up and it opened. 

"Nothing-just black there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop." 

Harry motioned for Ron to continue playing. He obviously wanted to go first. 

"You want to go first?Are you sure?" Ron asked "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep playing." 

The dogs started to growl a bit as Harry finished playing. He gave the flute to Hermione and she began to play. Harry looked into the trap door then at Ron and I. 

"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the Owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?" 

"Right." Ron said. 

"See you in a moment. I hope..." Then he dropped in. 

"Who will go next? You or I?" I asked Ron. 

"You." He answered quickly. 

We heard a distant "It's ok." From below. 

"See you at the bottom." I said, then I jumped. 

It felt weird falling in darkness. It was pitch black and I couldn't see a thing... kind of eerie. I landed on something soft. Ron fell inbetween Harry and I next, then we heard a distant bark and Hermione landed on the other side of Harry a few moments later. 

"We must be miles under the school!" She said. 

"Lucky this plant thing is here, really." Ron said. 

"Lucky! Look at you guys!" Hermione said. She had leapt up and moved towards a damp wall. The plant tried to wrap itself around her ankle but she fought it. The plant had wrapped itself around us boys already. I was suddenly aware of it trying to wrap itself around my neck. 

"Stop moving!" She said. "I know what this is. It's Devils snare." 

"Oh I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help!" Ron said sarcastically. The plant was also trying to wrap itself around his neck. 

"Oh shutup! I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" Hermione snapped. 

"Well hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped. 

Hermione began to chant something but I couldn't hear her to well, I was to busy dying. I tried hitting the plant but that only made it squeeze itself around me tighter. 

"Have you gone mad!" Ron was yelling. "Are you a witch or not!?" 

"Ery! Er-Mi-Oh-Nee." I choked out. 

Suddenly Hermione sent blue flames at the plant and it unwrapped itself and I was free. Gasping for air I hurried over to the others. 

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione." Harry said. 

"Yeah." Ron said. "And lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis. 'There's no wood' Honestly." 

"Let's just go." I said. 

We walked down a passage way hearing the drip of water. It was damp and I suddenly started to shiver, I wished I had brought a sweater to wear. We heard a soft rustling and clinking sound ahead. 

"Do you think it's a ghost?" 

"I don't know... it sounds like wings to me." 

"Theres a light ahead- I can see something moving." 

We walked to the end of the passageway it turned out what we heard were wings after all.. At first we thought they were bugs but then Harry noticed that they were keys charmed to fly. We figured that we needed one of them to open the door on the other side of the room. 

"So it looks like we have to take a broomstick and catch one." Harry said. "But what key?" 

"We're looking for an old fashioned one. Silver like the handle." Ron said. 

"Ok, well there are only three broomsticks and four of us." I said. "So who is staying on the ground?" 

Harry looked at Ron, Hermione and I in turn. 

"Why don't you boys fly and I'll wait by the door. Whoever catches it, throw it to me and I will unlock the door." Hermione said. 

So Harry, Ron and I each grabbed a broomstick and mounted them. We flew up amongst the keys. Harry spotted the key right away. It was a large silver with a bent wing. Harry began giving us directions on how we should catch it. I flew up from the bottom, Ron flew down from the top and Harry flew straight. He caught it by squishing it against the wall. He threw the key down to Hermione then the three of us flew back down and leapt off the broomsticks. 

"That enchantment was kind of pointless was it not? I mean they had broomsticks so that people could actually catch the key. I wonder whose enchantment that was." I said. 

The others didn't answer, they were staring around the room we were in. We were standing on the edge of a huge Chessboard. It looked as though we would have to play our way across the board. 

"Ok, Hermione and Harry you two aren't very good at chess, so you'll just have to listen to Draco and I ok?" Ron said. 

They both nodded. 

"So Harry, you take the place of that Bishop, Hermione you go beside him and take the place of that castle, I'll be a knight and Draco... um... take the place of the Queen I guess." 

We were going to be black, so the four black pieces moved off the board and we took the place of them. I wondered which teacher did this, I was guessing it was transfiguration so Professor McGonagall probably did this enchantment, the keys were charmed so Professor Flitwick did that enchantment and the Devils Snare would have been Professor Sprouts. We still had two enchantments to get through that meant. Professor Quirrels and Professor Snapes. 

Professor McGonagalls enchantment was very clever, not many people knew how to play chess. 

White went first then we played. Hermione kept shrieking everytime a peice was taken away, probably from all of the violence. She didn't like it when we played mini chess and the pieces attacked each other. Ron and I directed the pieces around the board. We almost had Hermione and Harry in danger a couple of times. Hermione screamed especially loud when one our knights were taken away. 

Finally Ron said: 

"We're nearly there... let me thing- let me think..." 

We stood there watching him and I suddenly realized what he had to do. He was going to have to let the white Queen take him. When Ron mentioned this out loud to Harry and Hermione, both of them yelled. 

"No!" 

"That's chess!" Ron snapped. "You've got to make sacrafices! I take one step forward and she'll take me- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!" 

"But-" 

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?" 

"Ron-" 

"Look if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the stone!" Ron said. 

"It has to happen." I said in a shaky voice. I started to feel sick for some reason and I wasn't sure why. Hermione and Harry finally nodded 

"Ready?" Ron called. "Here I go-now, don't stick around once you've won." 

He stepped forward and the Queen took no mercy. She struck Ron aorund the head and he collapsed. Hermione screamed as the queen dragged him to the side. Then Harry moved three spaces to the left. The king threw his crown down at Harry's feet. I stared at Ron feeling even more sick and I knew I was about to throw up. I just didn't know why I suddenly felt like that... 

"Look" I managed to say. "You two go on, I can't. I will stay with Ron." 

"Why?" Hermione asked. "We may need you." 

I threw up at that point and sunk to my knees knowing I was about to do it again. 

"Ok, if you get him awake maybe you should go up to the Owlery." Harry said. 

"Becareful" I muttered. 

Hermione hugged me before they ran off. I crawled over to Ron, shaking with dizziness. I was going to be sick again. I reached Ron and sat beside him to wait for the dizziness to go away. I wondered if it was because Ron was unconsious that I felt sick. I stared at him wondering if I should try and get him to come around. As I stared at him I suddenly realized what it was, I felt guilty. I was betraying father. I threw up again all over my robes. 

"Oh great." I muttered wiping my mouth. 

Ron moaned beside me, I started to shake him and pat his face. It took a while but finally he opened his eyes and he moaned again. 

"Where am I?" He asked. 

"Are you ok?" I asked. 

"Yea." Ron said. He sat up and rubbed his head and seemed to remember what had happened. "Why aren't you with the others?" 

"Got sick." I mumbled. 

Ron looked at my robes. "Disgusting." He muttered. 

"I know it is. Too bad I don't know a vanishing spell." I muttered. 

"Ron! You're ok! Draco!" 

We turned to see Hermione sprinting over to us. 

"We have to go to the Owlery." She said breathlessly. 

"Where is Harry?" I asked. 

"I'll explain on the way let's go!" She said. 

We got up and ran across the chess board, I didn't know about the others but I was relieved that we wouldn't have to play it again. I wasn't sure if I should be running, my stomach still hurt an awful lot. When we got to the key room we each grabbed a broomstick and mounted them. 

"Hermione, you had better play that flute." I said as we started to fly. 

"How?" She asked. 

"Here give it to me. I can fly with one hand." I said flying over to her. 

She took the flute out of her robe pocket and gave it to me. I started to play as we flew over Devils snare and up to the trapdoor. 

"Ugh Draco you are terrible." Ron said. 

I frowned at him but kept on playing. The dog was sleeping when we each flew up through the trapdoor. Hermione grabbed Harry's cloak which was laying on the floor by the door as we hurried by. 

"Draco, what is that all over your robes?" Hermione asked. 

"Nevermind that. What about Harry?" I said. 

We ran through the corridors and Hermione began talking fast. 

"After the chess board, we found another troll but it was knocked out. Next room had a fire at each exit. You had to drink the right potion to get through each exit, there was only enough for one person to get into the next room and there was only enough for one person to get back. So Harry went on to the next room and I came back for you two." 

"So it's good I didn't go then." I said, 

"Yea that's what I said." Hermione said. 

We got to the entrance hall where we found Dumbledore. 

"Harry has gone after him, hasn't he?" Dumbledore asked. 

The three of us nodded. 

"Get to your tower you three!" Dumbledore called as he ran toward the third floor corridor. 

The three of us looked at each other terrified. I felt sick again, except this time it was different. Harry must have been in real danger for Dumbledore to panic like that. 

Authors note: Just one more chapter left. Hope you enjoyed. 


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